AFC (Alternative Fuel Corridor). A highway designated by FHWA for alternative-fuel infrastructure. NEVI formula funds are directed first to EV-designated corridors.

CCS (Combined Charging System). A connector that adds two DC pins below a J1772 connector so one inlet supports AC and DC charging. CCS1 is the North American version.

Charging port. The part of a charger that charges one vehicle at a time. A charger can have several connectors but only one or two ports. Federal uptime and power rules are written per port.

Charging station. One or more chargers at a single site.

CHAdeMO. A DC fast-charging standard developed in Japan, now uncommon in North America.

Demand charge. A utility charge based on a customer’s peak power draw rather than energy used. It can dominate the operating cost of a lightly used DC fast site.

DC fast charger (DCFC). A charger that delivers direct current straight to the battery, typically 50 kW and above.

EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment). The equipment that delivers power to a vehicle: the charger, cable, connector and controls.

EVITP. The Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program, a certification for electricians who install EVSE.

ISO 15118. The international standard for communication between a vehicle and a charger. It enables Plug & Charge and bidirectional charging.

J1772. The SAE standard for the North American AC charging connector.

J3400 (NACS). The SAE standard based on the connector Tesla developed. Most automakers selling in North America have adopted it.

kW and kWh. Kilowatts measure power, the rate of charging. Kilowatt-hours measure energy, the amount delivered. A 10 kW charger running for one hour delivers 10 kWh.

Load management. Controls that share or limit charger power so total demand stays within the capacity of the electrical service.

Make-ready. The electrical infrastructure up to the charger, such as service upgrades, conduit, wiring and panels. Utilities often fund it.

NEVI. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, a federal program that funds public DC fast charging through state DOTs.

OCPP. The Open Charge Point Protocol, the open standard that connects chargers to the networks that manage them.

Plug & Charge. Automatic authentication and billing when a vehicle is plugged in, built on ISO 15118.

Uptime. The share of time a charging port is available to complete a session.

V2G / V2X. Vehicle-to-grid (or to-home, to-building): bidirectional charging that lets a vehicle battery supply power back.