A quick reference for common EV charging terms used in hardware selection, site engineering, compliance, and backend operations. Each entry is a one-line meaning. Terms are sorted alphabetically, with the related topic shown in parentheses. Only letters that appear in this glossary are listed below. To find a specific term fast, use Ctrl+F (Windows) or Cmd+F (Mac).
A–Z Index (scan-only)
A: AFIR
C: Cable sizing / voltage drop; CAN bus; CCS1; CCS2; CDR / Session record; CE / UKCA; CHAdeMO; Contactor / Relay; Current transformer (CT)
D: DCFC; Dedicated circuit; Derating curve; DIN SPEC 70121; Dynamic Load Management (DLM)
E: Earthing / Grounding; Eichrecht / PTB-A; Emergency stop (E-stop); Ethernet / 4G/5G; EVSE controller (CSU)
G: GB/T AC; GB/T DC; GFCI
H: Harmonics / THD; HMI; HomePlug Green PHY (PLC); HPC / Ultra-rapid
I: IEC 62196-2 Type 2; IK rating (IK08/IK10); Inlet / Coupler; Interlock; IP rating (IP54/IP65/IP66); IPxxK; ISO 15118-2; ISO 15118-20; Isolation monitoring (IMD)
L: Level 1; Level 2; Liquid-cooled cable
M: MCS; MID meter; Mode 1; Mode 2 (IC-CPD); Mode 3; Mode 4; MQTT / HTTP(S)
N: NACS / J3400
O: OCPI; OCPP 1.6J; OCPP 2.0.1; OICP; Operating temperature; OTA update; Overcurrent protection (MCB)
P: Pattern approval; PEN fault detection; Phase balancing; PKI / V2G PKI; Plug & Charge (PnC); PME (UK)
Q: QR/app start
R: RCM 6 mA; RED / EMC / LVD; RF module; RFID / NFC; Roaming; RS-485 / UART
S: SAE J1772 (Type 1); SAE J2954; Salt spray; Secure boot / TPM; Shunt resistor; Strain relief / Backshell; Surge protection (SPD)
T: Tariff / TOU; Temperature sensor (NTC/PTC); TLS / Certificates; Type A RCD; Type B RCD
U: UL / cUL; Uptime / Availability; UV resistance
V: V2G / BPT; V2H; V2L
A
AFIR (Metering & compliance)
EU regulation setting deployment, uptime, and payment requirements for public EV charging.
Notes: Focus on TEN-T corridors.
C
Cable sizing / voltage drop (Installation & grid)
Selecting conductor size to keep voltage drop within limits.
Notes: Long runs need larger gauge.
CAN bus (Communication & protocols)
Vehicle network standard sometimes used for DC charging handshake.
Notes: Legacy controller communications.
CCS1 (Connectors & standards)
DC fast charge interface in North America (Type 1 AC + DC pins).
Notes: Also called SAE Combo 1.
CCS2 (Connectors & standards)
DC fast charge interface in Europe (Type 2 AC + DC pins).
Notes: Also called Combo 2. See also: Workersbee CCS2 DC charging connectors.
CDR / Session record (Smart/UX/Operations)
Charge Detail Record used for billing and audit.
Notes: Shared via OCPI and OCPP.
CE / UKCA (Metering & compliance)
Regulatory conformity marking for EU and UK markets.
Notes: Based on LVD, EMC, and RED directives.
CHAdeMO (Connectors & standards)
Legacy DC charging standard from Japan.
Notes: Early V2H support.
Contactor / Relay (Hardware components)
Switching devices that turn charging power on or off under control.
Notes: AC and DC variants.
Current transformer (CT) (Hardware components)
Current measurement device for protection or metering.
Notes: Alternative to shunt sensing.
D
DCFC (Charging modes & power levels)
Generic term for DC fast charging (about 50–150 kW+).
Notes: Also called rapid charging.
Dedicated circuit (Installation & grid)
An EVSE-only breaker and wiring run.
Notes: Avoids nuisance trips.
Derating curve (Charging modes & power levels)
Output current or power reduced versus temperature to protect hardware.
Notes: Driven by cable and connector limits.
DIN SPEC 70121 (Communication & protocols)
Early CCS DC communication specification between EV and charger.
Notes: Still used by many vehicles.
Dynamic Load Management (DLM) (Installation & grid)
Adjusts current across chargers to stay within a site power cap.
Notes: Also called load balancing.
E
Earthing / Grounding (Installation & grid)
TN, TT, or IT earthing arrangements that ensure shock protection.
Notes: Impacts safety detection methods.
Eichrecht / PTB-A (Metering & compliance)
German calibration law for public charging billing.
Notes: Requires signed metering data.
Emergency stop (E-stop) (Electrical safety & protection)
Immediate stop that de-energizes the system for safety.
Notes: Common on DC cabinets.
Ethernet / 4G/5G (Communication & protocols)
Backhaul links from charger to CSMS or cloud.
Notes: WAN connectivity options.
EVSE controller (CSU) (Hardware components)
Main control board that manages switching, communications, and HMI.
Notes: The charger’s control core.
G
GB/T AC (Connectors & standards)
Chinese national standard AC charging connector.
Notes: GB/T 20234.2.
GB/T DC (Connectors & standards)
Chinese national standard DC fast-charging connector.
Notes: GB/T 20234.3.
GFCI (Electrical safety & protection)
US term for ground-fault leakage protection.
Notes: Referenced in NEC 625.
H
Harmonics / THD (Installation & grid)
Power-quality distortion caused by rectifiers and inverters.
Notes: Managed with filters and standards.
HMI (Hardware components)
Display, LEDs, or buttons for user interaction.
Notes: User interface panel.
HomePlug Green PHY (PLC) (Communication & protocols)
Physical layer carrying ISO 15118 data over power lines.
Notes: Used in CCS systems.
HPC / Ultra-rapid (Charging modes & power levels)
High-power DC charging at 150 kW and above, often up to 350 kW.
Notes: Liquid cooling is common.
I
IEC 62196-2 Type 2 (Connectors & standards)
AC connector used in Europe and many other regions.
Notes: 7-pin AC interface.
IK rating (IK08/IK10) (Env & mechanical)
Mechanical impact resistance rating for enclosures.
Notes: Defined in EN 62262.
Inlet / Coupler (Connectors & standards)
Vehicle inlet and the handheld plug assembly.
Notes: Vehicle-side vs cable-side parts.
Interlock (Electrical safety & protection)
Safety interlock between connector engagement and power switching.
Notes: Prevents arcing under load.
IP rating (IP54/IP65/IP66) (Env & mechanical)
Ingress protection against dust and water.
Notes: Defined in EN 60529.
IPxxK (Env & mechanical)
High-pressure water-jet protection rating.
Notes: Defined in ISO 20653.
ISO 15118-2 (Communication & protocols)
High-level EV-charger communication enabling Plug & Charge.
Notes: Runs over PLC.
ISO 15118-20 (Communication & protocols)
Next-gen standard adding bidirectional power transfer and advanced smart charging.
Notes: Includes V2G features.
Isolation monitoring (IMD) (Electrical safety & protection)
Monitors insulation resistance in DC systems.
Notes: Defined in IEC 61557-8.
L
Level 1 (Charging modes & power levels)
120 V AC charging up to about 1.9 kW.
Notes: Slow home charging in North America.
Level 2 (Charging modes & power levels)
208–240 V AC charging up to about 19.2 kW.
Notes: Standard home and workplace level.
Liquid-cooled cable (Hardware components)
DC cable with coolant channels for higher continuous current.
Notes: Used for HPC and MCS.
M
MCS (Connectors & standards)
Megawatt Charging System standard for heavy-duty EV charging above 1 MW.
Notes: Targeted at trucks and buses.
MID meter (Metering & compliance)
EU MID-compliant meter approved for billing.
Notes: Legal metrology requirement.
Mode 1 (Charging modes & power levels)
AC charging from a socket with no EVSE control.
Notes: Generally not recommended.
Mode 2 (IC-CPD) (Charging modes & power levels)
AC charging with an in-cable control and protection device.
Notes: Portable charging mode.
Mode 3 (Charging modes & power levels)
AC charging via a dedicated EVSE with control pilot.
Notes: Typical wallbox or public AC.
Mode 4 (Charging modes & power levels)
DC charging with off-board rectification in the charger.
Notes: Used for fast charging.
MQTT / HTTP(S) (Communication & protocols)
Common telemetry and API protocols used by chargers.
Notes: Typical IoT backends.
N
NACS / J3400 (Connectors & standards)
North American Charging Standard formalized as SAE J3400.
Notes: Supports both AC and DC charging.
O
OCPI (Communication & protocols)
Roaming protocol between CPOs and eMSPs.
Notes: Handles tariffs, tokens, and CDRs.
OCPP 1.6J (Communication & protocols)
WebSocket/JSON protocol between charger and CSMS.
Notes: Widely deployed version.
OCPP 2.0.1 (Communication & protocols)
Newer OCPP adding device model, security, and richer smart charging.
Notes: Modern feature set.
OICP (Communication & protocols)
Hubject roaming protocol for inter-network charging.
Notes: eRoaming integration.
Operating temperature (Env & mechanical)
Ambient range where the charger operates safely.
Notes: Often specified as a class like −30 to +50°C.
OTA update (Communication & protocols)
Remote firmware or configuration updates.
Notes: Enables ongoing maintenance.
Overcurrent protection (MCB) (Electrical safety & protection)
Protection against overload and short circuits.
Notes: Breaker curve selection matters.
P
Pattern approval (Metering & compliance)
Legal metrology approval process for revenue metering.
Notes: Required in many regions.
PEN fault detection (Electrical safety & protection)
Detects loss of Protective Earth and Neutral in TN-C-S systems.
Notes: UK PME rule.
Phase balancing (Installation & grid)
Distributes load across three phases to reduce imbalance.
Notes: Helps power quality.
PKI / V2G PKI (Cybersecurity)
Certificate infrastructure for Plug & Charge and device trust.
Notes: Enables secure authentication.
Plug & Charge (PnC) (Communication & protocols)
Automatic authentication and billing via certificates when plugged in.
Notes: ISO 15118 feature.
PME (UK) (Installation & grid)
Protective Multiple Earthing system used in the UK.
Notes: Special EVSE requirements.
Q
QR/app start (Smart/UX/Operations)
Starting a charging session via app or QR code.
Notes: Common at public sites.
R
RCM 6 mA (Electrical safety & protection)
Monitors DC leakage and trips upstream Type A RCD at 6 mA or higher.
Notes: Often built into EVSE.
RED / EMC / LVD (Metering & compliance)
EU directives for radio, electromagnetic compatibility, and electrical safety.
Notes: Core basis for CE marking.
RF module (Communication & protocols)
Wireless connectivity module such as Wi-Fi, BLE, LTE, or NR.
Notes: Used for remote operations.
RFID / NFC (Smart/UX/Operations)
Card or tap authentication to start charging.
Notes: Widely used in public charging.
Roaming (Smart/UX/Operations)
Cross-network charging access through interoperability hubs.
Notes: Connects eMSPs and CPOs.
RS-485 / UART (Hardware components)
Serial links for meters and peripherals.
Notes: Modbus RTU is common.
S
SAE J1772 (Type 1) (Connectors & standards)
AC connector used in North America and Japan.
Notes: 5-pin AC interface.
SAE J2954 (V2X & wireless)
Wireless charging standard for EVs.
Notes: Defines coil alignment and power classes.
Salt spray (Env & mechanical)
Corrosion resistance test method for outdoor products.
Notes: IEC 60068-2-11.
Secure boot / TPM (Cybersecurity)
Hardware-rooted firmware integrity and trust.
Notes: Blocks tampered code.
Shunt resistor (Hardware components)
DC current sensing element using voltage drop across a resistor.
Notes: High precision method.
Strain relief / Backshell (Env & mechanical)
Mechanical support at the cable-handle interface.
Notes: Extends cable life.
Surge protection (SPD) (Electrical safety & protection)
Protection against transient overvoltage events.
Notes: Type 1 and Type 2 per IEC 61643.
T
Tariff / TOU (Smart/UX/Operations)
Pricing schemes including time-of-use rates and demand components.
Notes: Drives billing logic.
Temperature sensor (NTC/PTC) (Hardware components)
Measures handle or cable temperature to control derating.
Notes: Protects contacts.
TLS / Certificates (Cybersecurity)
Encrypted communication and mutual authentication.
Notes: Used by OCPP and ISO 15118.
Type A RCD (Electrical safety & protection)
Detects AC and pulsed DC leakage, commonly used for AC EV charging.
Notes: Usually paired with 6 mA DC monitoring.
Type B RCD (Electrical safety & protection)
Detects AC, pulsed DC, and smooth DC leakage, common for DC chargers.
Notes: Covers higher DC leakage.
U
UL / cUL (Metering & compliance)
North American safety certification for EVSE.
Notes: Examples include UL 2594 and UL 2202.
Uptime / Availability (Smart/UX/Operations)
Percentage of time a charger is operational and usable.
Notes: Key public-site KPI.
UV resistance (Env & mechanical)
Material durability against long-term sunlight exposure.
Notes: Important for outdoor plastics.
V
Bidirectional power transfer between vehicle and grid.
Notes: Defined in ISO 15118-20.
V2H (V2X & wireless)
Vehicle powering a home through a bidirectional charger.
Notes: Backup or self-consumption use.
V2L (V2X & wireless)
Vehicle powering external loads or devices.
Notes: Portable power use.
주소 : 538 Fangqiao Road, SlP-Xiangcheng Cooperative Zone, Xiangcheng, Suzhou, China
문의하기
한국어
IPv6 네트워크 지원
