This video introduces the essential terminology related to electric car batteries and charging. It explains key terms such as kilowatt-hours, volts, amps, and more, making it easier for viewers to understand the technical aspects of electric vehicle ownership. The video is designed to help new EV owners become familiar with the language used in the industry.
Learning about electric vehicles comes with a whole new vocabulary. Fortunately, the language around batteries, charging, and electricity is pretty easy to learn. When comparing electric vehicles, one of the key points to consider is battery capacity. The bigger the battery, the more energy you can have on board. EV battery capacity is typically measured in kilowatt hours. For example, a base Nissan LEAF, a commuter car, has a relatively small 40-kilowatt-hour battery, whereas the Porsche Taycan, a high-performance luxury car, has a 93.4-kilowatt-hour battery, more than double the size. Another important metric is miles per kilowatt hour. The higher the miles per kilowatt hour, the more efficient the vehicle. Ratings for kilowatt hours per 100 miles help measure a car's range. For example, an EV with a 75-kilowatt-hour battery rated at 35 kilowatt hours per 100 miles will go 214 miles on a full charge. Miles per gallon equivalent can give you a sense of overall efficiency. However, it doesn't always provide a good comparison to gasoline because electricity prices vary widely. The higher the voltage of your EV system, the more powerful it is, and the faster it can charge. Different chargers have different kilowatt ratings. The kilowatt rating of the charger will give you a rough approximation of how quickly the battery can be charged. The bigger the kilowatt rating, the faster your car charges. Level 1 chargers need all day or more to fully charge up an empty EV. Level 2 chargers can give a full charge to most EVs in as little as a few hours. And Level 3 chargers can rapidly charge your EV in a matter of minutes. Ultimately, charging speed will be limited by your car's kilowatt rating. Thanks for watching. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to get recommendations for other useful content on green cars and how they can work best for you.