Plain definitions of the terms that come up when a property evaluates EV charging, from kW and kWh to make-ready, demand charges and OCPP. No jargon for its own sake.
Charging from an ordinary 120-volt household outlet, typically around 1.3–1.9 kW. It adds only a few miles of range per hour, so it is generally suitable for overnight top-ups rather than shared property charging.
Charging from a 208- or 240-volt supply, typically between roughly 7 kW and 19.2 kW depending on the equipment and the electrical service. This is the most common choice for multifamily, workplace and destination charging, where vehicles are parked for hours.
High-power charging that supplies direct current to the vehicle’s battery, bypassing the onboard charger. Commonly 50 kW and above. It charges far faster than Level 2 but requires substantially more electrical capacity and costs considerably more to install.
A kilowatt (kW) is a rate of power: how fast energy moves. A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is a quantity of energy: how much was delivered. A charger rated at 7 kW running for two hours delivers about 14 kWh. Charging is usually priced per kWh.
The rate at which a vehicle accepts charge changes as its battery fills, usually slowing considerably above roughly 80% state of charge. This is a function of the vehicle, not the charger, which is why two cars on identical chargers can charge at different speeds.
How full the vehicle’s battery is, expressed as a percentage. Reported by the vehicle, not by the charging station.
Simplified diagrams of the contact layout, drawn to a common scale. Power contacts Signal contacts
The standard AC inlet on most non-Tesla vehicles sold in North America, defined by SAE J1772. Two large contacts carry the AC supply, the third is the protective earth, and the two small contacts carry the control pilot and proximity signals.
5 contacts
Originally Tesla’s connector, since standardized as SAE J3400. The same five contacts carry either AC or DC, which is why the housing is noticeably smaller and flatter than J1772.
5 contacts
A J1772 inlet with two high-current DC contacts added beneath it, so one port accepts both Level 2 AC and DC fast charging. CCS1 is the North American variant.
7 contacts
An earlier DC fast-charging standard, most often seen on the Nissan Leaf in North America. Two large DC contacts plus eight signal contacts. Its use in new vehicles sold here has declined substantially.
10 contacts
Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment, the formal term for what most people call a charger or charging station. Strictly speaking the charger is in the vehicle; the EVSE supplies it safely.
The standard AC connector used by most non-Tesla electric vehicles in North America, defined by SAE J1772. Used for Level 1 and Level 2 charging.
The North American Charging Standard, originally Tesla’s connector and since standardized as SAE J3400. A growing number of manufacturers have announced adoption, and adapters exist in both directions.
Combined Charging System, a DC fast-charging connector that adds two high-current DC pins beneath a J1772 inlet, so one port serves both AC and DC charging. CCS1 is the North American variant.
An earlier DC fast-charging standard, most commonly associated with the Nissan Leaf in North America. Its use in new vehicles here has declined substantially.
Open Charge Point Protocol, the open communication standard between a charging station and the software that manages it. Building a charging network on OCPP is what allows an operator to work across hardware from more than one manufacturer, rather than being tied to a single vendor’s system.
Charging Station Management System, the software platform that communicates with charging stations, manages charging sessions, applies pricing and records what happened. Govian Charge Cloud is Govian’s own charging-management technology platform.
One instance of a vehicle charging at a connector, from start to stop. A session record generally includes start and stop times, energy delivered, the pricing that applied and the payment outcome.
The pricing rule applied to a charging session: for example a per-kWh energy charge, a fixed session fee, applicable taxes, or a combination. A tariff of $0.00 is still a tariff: free charging is recorded deliberately rather than as the absence of pricing.
A temporary hold placed on a payment card before charging begins, to confirm funds are available. It is not the final charge. Any unused portion is released by the card issuer, on their timing rather than the charging operator’s.
A networked charger communicates with management software, which is what makes payment, access control, pricing and remote monitoring possible. A non-networked charger simply supplies power and cannot support any of that.
The proportion of time a charger is available and able to deliver a charge. Definitions vary between operators, so it is worth asking exactly what is and isn’t counted as downtime.
How much a charger is actually used, commonly expressed as sessions per day or hours in use. It is the figure that most affects whether a charging installation makes commercial sense.
An arrangement allowing a driver with an account on one charging network to use chargers on another. Not part of Govian’s Launch 1 driver experience.
The electrical infrastructure (conduit, wiring, panel capacity and mounting) installed to support charging stations, whether or not the chargers themselves go in at the same time. Installing make-ready for more chargers than you deploy initially is often cheaper than returning to trench again later.
The total electrical supply available to a property. Charging adds load, and whether a site has headroom is usually the single biggest factor in what a charging deployment costs.
A utility charge based on the highest rate of power a property draws during a billing period, rather than total energy used. High-power charging can raise demand charges noticeably, which is one reason charging load is worth planning rather than adding blindly.
Controlling how much power charging stations draw, for instance by sharing available capacity between connectors, so a site stays within its electrical limits. Govian records this as planned architecture work; it is not part of the Launch 1 platform.
How long a vehicle is parked at a location. It determines how much energy can realistically be delivered, and therefore which charging level makes sense: a workplace has long dwell time, a quick-service restaurant does not.
The property that hosts charging equipment. Depending on the commercial structure, the site host may own the equipment, provide only the location, or share both with the charging operator.
You don’t need to learn the vocabulary to have the conversation. Tell us about the site and we’ll walk through what matters for it.