EV Glossary: Every Term You Need to Know

The EV World Has Its Own Vocabulary

When you start exploring electric vehicles, you quickly get overwhelmed by technical vocabulary that can feel intimidating. kWh, kW, DCFC, NACS, CCS, LFP, NMC, OTA, ADAS, V2G, SOC... It feels like reading a coded text. But do not panic. Every term has a simple explanation, and once you understand them, you become much more confident navigating the EV market. This glossary is designed specifically for Canadians who want to understand the jargon without needing an electrical engineering degree.

We have organized the terms by category for easy reference. Whether you are shopping for your first EV in Montreal, installing a charger in Vancouver, or planning a road trip from Toronto, you will find the definition of every term you encounter here. We have also added concrete Canadian-context examples, because an abstract term becomes much clearer when you connect it to real life.

Basic Terms

EV (Electric Vehicle) — Any vehicle powered entirely or partially by an electric motor. In Canada, the term includes BEVs (all-electric), PHEVs (plug-in hybrids), and FCEVs (hydrogen fuel cell).

BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) — A 100% electric vehicle with no combustion engine. Examples: BYD Seal, Tesla Model 3, Zeekr 007. This is the most common EV type among Chinese automakers.

PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) — A vehicle combining an electric motor with a gasoline engine, with a rechargeable battery. Examples: BYD Tang DM-i. Can run in all-electric mode for 50 to 100 km before the gasoline engine takes over.

HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) — A non-rechargeable hybrid vehicle. The electric motor is powered only by regenerative braking. Examples: classic Toyota Prius. NOT eligible for federal EV rebates in Canada.

ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) — A traditional gasoline or diesel engine. The term is used in the EV community to describe non-electric vehicles.

ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicle) — A vehicle with zero direct emissions. In Canada, the federal ZEV mandate requires 100% of new vehicles sold to be ZEVs by 2035.

Battery Terms

kWh (Kilowatt-hour) — The unit measuring battery capacity. It is the equivalent of litres in a gas tank. A BYD Seal has an 82.5 kWh battery. The higher the number, the greater the potential range.

kW (Kilowatt) — The unit measuring power. Used for motor power and charging speed. A 150 kW motor equals approximately 201 horsepower. A 150 kW charger can recharge faster than a 50 kW charger.

SOC (State of Charge) — The percentage of charge remaining in the battery. Like the fuel gauge, but in percentage. "80% SOC" means the battery is at 80%.

LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) — A battery chemistry known for its durability, safety, and lower cost. Used by BYD (Blade battery), Tesla (base models), and most affordable Chinese EVs. Supports 3,000-plus charge cycles. Can be charged to 100% without damage.

NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) — A battery chemistry with higher energy density but lower durability than LFP. Used by BMW, Hyundai, and some premium Chinese models. Supports 1,000 to 2,000 charge cycles.

Blade Battery — BYD's patented technology using blade-shaped LFP cells, stacked directly into the battery pack without intermediate modules. Recognized for exceptional safety (nail penetration test passed) and longevity.

Energy Density — The amount of energy stored per unit of weight (Wh/kg). Higher means a lighter battery for the same capacity. NMC: 200-300 Wh/kg. LFP: 150-200 Wh/kg.

Battery Degradation — The gradual loss of battery capacity over time and use. An LFP battery typically retains 90-95% of its capacity after 5 years. Standard warranty in Canada is 8 years or 160,000 km.

BMS (Battery Management System) — The electronic brain that manages the battery: charging, discharging, temperature, and cell balancing. Crucial for longevity and safety. Chinese BMS systems are among the most advanced in the world.

Charging Terms

Level 1 — Charging from a standard 120V household outlet. Speed: 5-8 km of range per hour. Useful only in emergencies.

Level 2 — Charging from a 240V circuit. Speed: 30-80 km of range per hour depending on power level. The standard for home charging in Canada. Installation cost: $1,500-$2,500 CAD.

Level 3 / DCFC (DC Fast Charging) — Rapid DC charging. Power: 50 kW to 350 kW. Allows going from 20% to 80% in 15 to 40 minutes. Used primarily for long trips.

CCS1 (Combined Charging System 1) — The standard North American connector for DCFC charging. Used by the majority of non-Tesla EVs, including Chinese EVs sold in Canada.

NACS (North American Charging Standard) — The connector developed by Tesla, adopted as the North American standard in 2025. Provides direct access to the Tesla Supercharger network. Some 2026-plus Chinese EVs are adopting it.

J1772 — The standard North American connector for Level 2 AC charging. Compatible with virtually every EV sold in Canada.

Battery Preconditioning — The process of heating or cooling the battery before fast charging to optimize charging speed. Chinese EVs often do this automatically when you programme a charging stop in the GPS.

V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) — Technology allowing an EV to send electricity back to the grid. The vehicle becomes a mobile home battery. Available on some Chinese EVs with bidirectional batteries.

V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) — Feature allowing you to use the EV battery to power electrical devices such as for camping or during a power outage. Available on several Chinese EVs.

Driving and Performance Terms

WLTP Range — Range measured under the European WLTP protocol. More realistic than the Chinese CLTC, but still optimistic compared to real Canadian conditions especially in winter. Expect 70-85% of WLTP range in real conditions.

CLTC Range — The Chinese test cycle, notoriously optimistic. If a manufacturer claims 600 km CLTC, expect 420-480 km in real Canadian summer conditions, and 280-350 km in winter.

Regenerative Braking — A system that converts kinetic energy into electricity when slowing down, recharging the battery. Reduces brake wear by 50-70%. All EVs are equipped with it.

One-Pedal Driving — A driving mode where regenerative braking is strong enough to slow and stop the vehicle without using the brake pedal. Available on most Chinese EVs.

ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) — Advanced driving aids: adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, emergency braking, blind spot monitoring. Chinese EVs often offer very comprehensive ADAS as standard.

OTA (Over-The-Air) — Software updates transmitted wirelessly to the vehicle, without a dealership visit. Allow improvement of features, performance, and safety after purchase.

Heat Pump — An energy-efficient heating and cooling system that transfers heat rather than generating it. Reduces winter range loss by 15-25% compared to resistive heating. Present in most Chinese EVs.

800V Architecture — A high-voltage electrical system enabling faster charging and greater efficiency. Used by Zeekr, XPeng, and other premium Chinese automakers. Allows 10% to 80% charges in 15-20 minutes.

Financial and Regulatory Terms

EVAP (formerly iZEV, renamed February 2026) — [Updated April 2026] The federal Canadian programme offering a $5,000 rebate on eligible EV purchases. Renamed from iZEV to EVAP in February 2026. Now requires manufacture in Canada or free-trade partner country (excludes Chinese-built EVs). Transaction price cap reduced to $50,000.

Roulez vert — [Updated April 2026] Québec programme now offering $2,000 in provincial rebate (reduced from $7,000 in January 2026, ending December 2026). No country-of-origin restriction. Combined with EVAP for non-Chinese EVs, total can reach $7,000.

CleanBC — [Updated April 2026] British Columbia programme that ended November 2025. The $4,000 provincial rebate is no longer available.

100% Tariff — The 100% customs tariff imposed by Canada on EVs manufactured in China, in effect since October 2024. Can double the price of a Chinese EV imported directly.

MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price) — The listed price before taxes and rebates. Important for determining eligibility for government rebate programmes.

TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) — The total cost of owning a vehicle including purchase price, fuel or electricity, maintenance, insurance, and depreciation. EVs generally have a lower TCO than gasoline vehicles over 5-plus years.

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