Commonly Used Electrification Terms and Abbrevations

Abbreviation & Synonyms Definition Examples
ICE Internal combustion engine. Traditional engine that uses fuel and heat to create thrust. 4,6, or 8 cylinder engines. Majority of cars currently on the road.
EV Electric Vehicle. Uses one or multiple electric motors to create thrust. Tesla models, Chevy Bolt, Nissan Leaf, Ford Mustang Mach-E
HEV or Hybrid Hybrid Electrical Vehicle.  These vehicles combine both combustion and electric motors to create thrust. Often they use regenerative brakes or generators to power the electric motors while using the combustion motor as a backup. Toyota Prius, Chevy Volt, BMW I8
Level 1 Charging Most basic and slow level of charging. Any 120V outlet can supply the charge. This does only provide 4 to 5 miles of range an hour.
Level 2 Charging Faster and more high powered level of charging. 240v outlets are used to provide up to 30 miles per hour.
Level 3 Charging Also known as Fast Charging; can usually provide up to an 80% charge in 20-30 minutes.
PHEV PHEVs are a cross between battery electric vehicles (BEVs, described below) and HEVs. Like BEVs, PHEVs have an electric motor that is recharged via an external plug. And like HEVs, they also have a fuel-based ICE. A PHEV can travel 20-30 miles on electric power alone.
BEV Battery electric vehicle. BEVs are powered entirely by electricity, meaning a BEV has no ICE, no fuel tank and no exhaust pipe. Instead, it has one or more electric motors powered by a larger onboard battery. Users charge the battery via an external outlet.