Glossary
B
- Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)
- A Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is an electrochemical energy storage system that captures electrical energy and stores it in rechargeable batteries for later use.
C
- Charge Point Operator (CPO)
- A Charge Point Operator (CPO) is an entity responsible for the ownership, installation, operation, and maintenance of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, also known as charge points.
- Charging as a Service (CaaS)
- Charging as a Service (CaaS) is a business model for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in which a third-party service provider owns, installs, operates, and maintains charging equipment on behalf of a customer.
- Combined Charging System(CSS)
- The Combined Charging System (CCS) is one of the main fast charging standards. Combining AC and DC charging in one connector. Was put out by CharIN in 2011.
D
- DC Fast Charging (DCFC)
- DC fast charging (DCFC) is a method of electric vehicle charging that delivers high-power direct current directly to the vehicle’s battery pack, bypassing the vehicle’s onboard charger (OBC).
E
- Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE)
- Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) refers to the hardware and systems that safely deliver electrical power from the grid or another source to an electric vehicle (EV) for battery charging.
- EV Charger Manufacturer
- An EV Charger Manufacturer is a company that designs, engineers, and produces electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE).
N
- NACS (North American Charging Standard)
- The North American Charging Standard (NACS), now formalized as SAE J3400, has completed its transition from a Tesla-proprietary connector to the de facto charging standard for North America.
O
- Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI)
- Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI) is an open, royalty-free REST API protocol that enables scalable, automated data exchange between Charge Point Operators (CPOs) and eMobility Service Providers (eMSPs).
- Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP)
- Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) is an open, royalty-free application-layer communication protocol that defines how EVSE exchange data with a central Charging Station Management System (CSMS).
S
- SAE J3400 (North American Charging Connector)
- AE J3400 is the open standard for NACS, published by SAE International as a TIR in December 2023, elevated to Recommended Practice in September 2024.
V
- V2G ( Vehicle-to-Grid )
- Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) is a bidirectional energy transfer technology in which an electric vehicle (EV) — while connected to a compatible charging station — can export stored DC battery energy back to the AC power grid.
