Reference
EV charging glossary
EV charging terms in plain English — from kW and kWh to CCS2, OCPP and time-of-day tariffs.
A–Z
- AC charging
- Charging where the car's on-board charger converts grid alternating current to direct current for the battery. Speed is limited by the on-board charger, typically 3.3–11 kW. Learn more →
- AutoCharge
- A Relux app feature that starts a charging session automatically when you plug in, without opening the app or scanning a QR code. Learn more →
- Battery capacity (kWh)
- How much energy the battery stores. A 40 kWh battery charged from 20% to 80% takes in about 24 kWh.
- Battery swapping
- Exchanging a depleted battery for a charged one instead of charging the vehicle; mostly used by two- and three-wheelers.
- Bharat AC-001 / DC-001
- Early Indian charging standards for low-power AC and low-voltage DC charging, used by first-generation fleet EVs. New cars use CCS2 and Type 2. Learn more →
- CaaS (Charger as a Service)
- A Relux model where a business leases a charger instead of buying it, keeps the charging revenue and takes ownership at the end of the lease. Learn more →
- CCS2
- Combined Charging System 2 — the connector used by almost all new electric cars in India for DC fast charging. It combines a Type 2 AC inlet with two DC pins. Learn more →
- Charging curve
- How charging power changes during a session. Power is highest at low state of charge and drops as the battery fills, especially above about 80%.
- CMS (Charging Management System)
- Cloud software that monitors chargers, starts and stops sessions, handles payments and reports uptime for a charging network.
- CPO (Charge Point Operator)
- The company that operates public charging stations and sells charging to drivers. Relux Electric is a CPO.
- DC fast charging
- Charging where the station converts power and feeds the battery directly, typically 30 kW to 240 kW or more, limited by the car's maximum DC power. Learn more →
- DISCOM
- The electricity distribution company that supplies power and sanctions load for a charging station — in Tamil Nadu, TNPDCL (formerly TANGEDCO).
- Franchise (EV charging)
- A model where an investor buys and owns a branded charging station while the network provides chargers, software, installation and support. Learn more →
- GST on EV charging
- Public EV charging is a service taxed at 18% GST, which is included in the per-kWh price shown to drivers. Learn more →
- Idle fee
- A charge some networks apply when a car stays plugged in after charging has finished, to keep chargers free for others.
- kW (kilowatt)
- A unit of power — how fast energy flows. Charger ratings (7.4 kW, 60 kW, 120 kW) are in kW.
- kWh (kilowatt-hour)
- A unit of energy — what you are billed for. Charging at 60 kW for one hour delivers 60 kWh. Learn more →
- MIDC / ARAI range
- Certified driving range from India's Modified Indian Driving Cycle test (ARAI-certified). Real-world range is usually lower, especially at highway speeds.
- OCPP
- Open Charge Point Protocol — the open standard chargers use to talk to a charging management system, so chargers and software from different makers work together.
- On-board charger (OBC)
- The charger inside the car that converts AC to DC. Its rating sets the maximum AC charging speed.
- Range anxiety
- Worry about running out of charge before reaching a charger — reduced by dense highway networks and route-planning apps. Learn more →
- RFID card
- A contactless card linked to your Relux account; tap it on the charger to start a session. Learn more →
- Sanctioned load
- The maximum power (kW or kVA) your electricity connection is approved for. A DC fast-charging station usually needs a higher sanctioned load or a dedicated connection.
- SoC (State of Charge)
- How full the battery is, as a percentage. Charging times are usually quoted between two SoC levels, such as 10–80%.
- ToD (Time-of-Day) tariff
- An electricity tariff that changes by time of day. In Tamil Nadu, EV charging stations pay less during solar hours (about 9 AM–4 PM) than at peak times. Learn more →
- Type 2
- The standard AC charging connector for electric cars in India, used by home wall-boxes and public AC chargers. Learn more →
- UBC (Unified Bharat e-Charge)
- An interoperable national EV charging network protocol that lets drivers discover, book and pay (including by UPI) across operators. Learn more →
- Zero Investment hosting
- A Relux model where a landowner or business provides the space while Relux funds, installs, owns and maintains the station and shares revenue. Learn more →
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