Jargon Buster: Going Electric
Does all the confusing jargon around electric vehicles kill your buzz? Don’t worry, here we answer all the questions you never dared to ask, and show that EV terminology is as easy to learn as ABC…
What’s a BEV, a PHEV and an ICE?
A BEV is a Battery Electric Vehicle, and its drive is delivered by an electric motor, which is powered by a battery. A PHEV (Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle) has two sources of power: a petrol or diesel engine, and an electric motor powered by a battery (which is charged by plugging in). A vehicle that is powered solely by an engine that burns fuel to produce energy is an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine).
So is the Volkswagen ID. Buzz a BEV?
Yes, the Volkswagen ID. Buzz is a BEV and only comes with fully electric power-unit options. When you spot an ID. badge on any new Volkswagen, it means the vehicle is 100 per cent emissions-free while driving. Other models in the Volkswagen range, such as the Volkswagen Multivan, offer PHEV drivetrains, which boast hybrid electric and internal combustion power.
We’ll see more manufacturers referring to their vehicle’s power in kW rather than PS or bhp"
The specifications for these vehicles mention kilowatts (kW) – but what is a kilowatt?
A watt is a unit of electrical power – and a kilowatt, or kW, is 1000 watts. It is used to measure the total power output of electric motors. Taking a closer look at the Volkswagen ID. Buzz, this vehicle has a maximum power output of 150kW, which equates to 204PS (the same as a new Volkswagen Multivan Style Long 7-Speed DSG powered by a 2.0 TSI petrol engine). As electric vehicles become more commonplace, we’ll see more manufacturers referring to their vehicles’ power in kW rather than PS or bhp. Kilowatts are also used to measure the rate at which the battery can be charged (see ‘So what’s the best way to charge a Volkswagen BEV or PHEV at home?’).
How is that different from a kilowatt hour (kWh)?
A kilowatt hour, or kWh, is how we measure our usage of electrical energy. If you switch on a 100 Watt lamp and leave it on for 10 hours, it will have used 1kWh of energy. The lithium-ion battery that powers the Volkswagen ID. Buzz has a net capacity of 77kWh (and a gross capacity of 82kWh, which is the theoretical maximum capacity the batteries can hold). The higher the kWh, the more energy the battery can store, which translates into more driving range between charges.
What’s the difference between AC and DC?
Electricity flows in two ways: alternating current (AC), or direct current (DC). The difference between the two is the direction of the electric charge, called the current. A simple way to visualise the difference is that DC looks like a flat line, and AC looks like a wave pattern. AC is the method by which electricity is transmitted via lines across the country and supplied to our homes. This is typically the slowest way to charge your electric vehicle. But more and more of our devices need a DC supply: anything with an electronic system or battery, from computers to smartphones to LED lights, require DC – and so does a battery-powered Volkswagen. Though we may not always be aware of it, there is a transformer in many of our devices, taking the AC power supply and converting it to DC. It’s in the small box on laptop cables, contained within phone chargers, or housed in LED light bulbs. In a Volkswagen BEV or PHEV, that job is done by the onboard charger, which enables you to charge your vehicle’s battery via an AC supply. The capacity of the onboard charger in a Volkswagen BEV or PHEV varies by model: for instance, the Volkswagen ID. Buzz has an 11kW onboard charger, which means the battery can be charged with a maximum of 11kW AC – although it can be charged at much higher rates when using DC power (see ‘And when I’m on the road…?’).
So what’s the best way to charge a Volkswagen BEV or PHEV at home?
Using cables supplied with the vehicle, a Volkswagen BEV or PHEV can be charged using a domestic 3-pin plug socket – but this is only recommended for occasional use (and the socket should be checked by an electrician first). A much quicker way to charge at home is via a specially installed wall box using the provided Type 2 cable. A number of home wall boxes are available, offering a range of charging speeds. A 7kW home wall box is compatible with the ‘single-phase’ electricity supply in most UK homes, and is perfect for overnight charging. Some homes may be able to upgrade their power to a more expensive ‘three-phase’ power outlet, which can deliver up to 22kW.
And when I’m on the road…?
Public chargers offer a variety of different charging speeds, but Volkswagen BEVs can take advantage of HPC (High Power Charging) stations – DC chargers that provide a direct charge to the battery, and offer much faster results. Volkswagen BEVs are compatible with DC chargers that operate using CCS (Combined Charging System) – the EU standard, and the most common DC plug in Europe (the vehicle is charged via the specialist cable tethered to the charging unit itself). To give an example of charging speeds, the Volkswagen ID. Buzz can be charged at up to 170kW at a HPC station and can be restored from 5 to 80 per cent of its full charge in about half an hour (a full charge can give up to 257 miles of range). And the public charging network is constantly growing: please see https://www.zap-map.com for further details.
