The EV glossary
Reviewed by the EVz Editorial Team · how we verify
Every term an Indian EV buyer actually meets, defined in plain language: 48 entries across range, batteries, charging, motors, money and policy. Each definition says what the term means for your decision, not just what it stands for, and links the EVz page where the live numbers are, so nothing here goes stale.
AC charging
Charging from an alternating-current supply, which is what every home socket and wall box provides; the vehicle's onboard charger converts it to DC for the battery. It is slower than DC fast charging but cheaper, gentler on the battery, and how the overwhelming majority of Indian EV charging actually happens: overnight, where the vehicle parks.
ARAI range
The driving range certified by the Automotive Research Association of India under standard lab test cycles. It is the official number brands advertise, and it runs consistently optimistic versus what owners get on real roads, because the test is run at steady speeds without real traffic, load, heat or highway running. Treat it as a comparable lab benchmark between models, never as the range you will personally get.
BaaS (battery as a service)
Buying the vehicle without its battery and paying for the battery by subscription or per kilometre instead. It cuts the sticker price sharply but adds a recurring cost that continues for as long as you run the vehicle, so compare the lifetime total, not the showroom price.
Battery degradation
The gradual loss of usable battery capacity with age and charge cycles. It is normal, mostly front-loaded in the first years, and slower than most buyers fear; typical warranties promise around 70% capacity retention over their term. Heat, frequent DC fast charging and sitting at 100% or 0% accelerate it; gentle AC charging in the middle of the charge window slows it.
Battery swapping
Exchanging a depleted battery for a charged one at a swap station in minutes instead of waiting to charge. In India it mainly serves commercial two- and three-wheeler fleets. Per kilometre it usually costs more than charging your own pack at home; its real value is uptime, no charging downtime, and skipping the upfront battery cost.
Battery warranty
The manufacturer's promise on the battery pack, usually expressed as years and kilometres, whichever comes first, and often with a capacity-retention threshold (commonly around 70%). It is the most financially important warranty on an EV because the pack is the most expensive component. Read the fine print: some warranties are first-owner-only or void on unapproved chargers.
BMS (battery management system)
The electronics that supervise a battery pack: balancing cells, limiting charge rates, managing temperature and cutting power when something is unsafe. A good BMS is invisible to the owner but is doing most of the work behind battery longevity and safety.
Break-even (EV vs petrol)
How long an EV's running-cost savings take to repay its price premium over a comparable petrol vehicle. Scooters typically break even in a couple of years at normal usage; cars take longer and the answer is meaningless unless the petrol comparable is a vehicle you would genuinely have bought instead.
CCS2 connector
The DC fast-charging plug standard for cars in India: a Type 2 connector with two extra DC pins below it. Nearly every fast-chargeable electric car sold in India uses CCS2, so public DC networks are built around it.
Charging time (brochure)
The number brands publish for a charge, and one of the easiest specs to misread. For nearly every two-wheeler it is an AC home-socket figure for a full charge; for nearly every car it is a DC fast-charge figure, often for a 10-80% top-up. The two are different measurements and must never be compared across segments.
DC fast charging
High-power charging that feeds direct current straight into the battery, bypassing the onboard charger. It is what public highway chargers offer and what car brochures usually quote charging time for (often a 10-80% top-up, not a full charge). Useful for trips; costlier per unit than home charging and harder on the battery if used as the daily routine.
E20 petrol
Petrol blended with 20% ethanol, now the standard pump fuel in India. The government's own figure puts the mileage penalty at 3-5% for a typical vehicle (a viral 30% claim is a myth the ministry has rejected), and since E20 sells at the same price per litre, the penalty is a hidden per-km cost on petrol vehicles. It nudges the EV-vs-petrol gap wider but is not, on its own, a reason to switch.
EVz Score
EVz's 0-10 rating, computed entirely from catalogue data with a published formula and no opinion component. Range-based components use a real-range basis (never the raw claim), value is measured against price-band peers, and verified data scores higher than unverified claims. A model missing the data an honest score needs shows 'not yet scored' rather than a guess.
Ex-showroom price
The sticker price of the vehicle before road tax, registration, insurance and any state subsidy. It is the number brands advertise and the wrong number to budget on: the drive-away figure is the on-road price, which differs by thousands to lakhs depending on your state.
FAME II
The previous central subsidy scheme for electric vehicles, now closed and succeeded by PM E-DRIVE. It still matters when reading older prices and reviews: many pre-2024 quoted prices baked in FAME II incentives that no longer exist at those levels.
GST on EVs
Electric vehicles attract 5% GST in India versus far higher rates on petrol and diesel vehicles. This is a structural price advantage baked into every EV's ex-showroom price rather than a subsidy that can lapse.
Hub motor
A motor built into the wheel itself, common on scooters and budget two-wheelers. Simple, cheap and quiet, but it adds unsprung weight at the wheel and its performance fades faster on inclines than a mid-drive layout.
ICR (incurred claims ratio)
The share of premium income an insurer pays out as claims, published by IRDAI. A very low ICR can signal stingy claims; a very high one can signal an unsustainable book. It is a company-wide, all-lines number, not an EV-specific one, so treat it as one honest signal among several when picking an insurer.
IDC (Indian Driving Cycle)
The lab test cycle behind most ARAI range certifications for two-wheelers: a scripted speed profile meant to simulate Indian urban driving. Its average speeds are low and its accelerations gentle, which is the main reason IDC range claims land well above real-world results, especially for scooters ridden with pillion, luggage or highway stretches.
IDV (insured declared value)
The value your insurer agrees the vehicle is worth, which caps any total-loss or theft payout and anchors your premium. On EVs, check whether the battery is fully covered within the IDV; it is the most expensive part of the vehicle.
km/kWh (efficiency)
How many kilometres an EV travels per unit of electricity, the EV equivalent of mileage. A light scooter typically covers several times more km per kWh than a heavy car, which is why two-wheelers are so much cheaper per kilometre. Efficiency, not battery size, decides running cost: a lighter, more efficient EV can out-range a heavier one carrying a bigger battery.
kWh (kilowatt-hour)
The unit of energy a battery stores, the EV equivalent of tank size. A typical electric scooter carries 2 to 5 kWh and an electric car anywhere from under 20 kWh on budget hatchbacks to around 100 kWh on luxury models. Multiply kWh by your domestic electricity tariff and you get the cost of a full charge, which is why home charging is so cheap.
LFP (lithium iron phosphate)
A battery chemistry known for long cycle life, better heat tolerance and lower cost, at the price of somewhat lower energy density than NMC. LFP suits Indian conditions well and is increasingly common in mass-market EVs. LFP packs are generally happier being charged to 100% regularly than NMC packs.
Low-speed electric scooter
A scooter limited to 25 km/h and 250 W, which under Indian rules needs no registration or driving licence. The speed cap is regulatory, not a battery limitation; these suit short neighbourhood runs and riders without a licence, and are a different product from registered electric scooters.
Mid-drive motor
A motor mounted centrally in the frame driving the wheel through a belt or chain. Better weight distribution, better hill performance and easier cooling than a hub motor, at higher cost and complexity; typical of performance scooters and motorcycles.
NMC (nickel manganese cobalt)
A battery chemistry with higher energy density than LFP, so more range from the same weight, but typically shorter cycle life, higher cost and more heat sensitivity. Common in performance and premium EVs. Day to day, NMC packs prefer partial charges over sitting at 100%.
On-road price
What you actually pay to put the vehicle on the road: ex-showroom price plus road tax, registration and insurance, minus any state EV subsidy. For EVs it varies sharply by state because several states waive road tax and registration entirely while others charge it; always price your own city, not a national figure.
Onboard charger
The converter inside the vehicle that turns AC from a socket or wall box into DC for the battery. Its kW rating caps how fast the vehicle can AC-charge no matter how powerful the wall box is, which is why two cars on the same charger can fill at different speeds.
One-pedal driving
Driving mostly with the accelerator alone: lifting off triggers regen braking strong enough to slow the vehicle to a crawl or a stop. Takes a day to get used to, then most drivers do not want to go back, especially in city traffic.
Peak vs rated motor power
Two different numbers brands quote for the same motor: rated (continuous) power is what it sustains indefinitely, peak power is a short burst for overtakes and hills. Brochures rarely say which they are quoting, which makes cross-brand power comparisons unreliable; treat published motor figures as the brand's own basis.
Pedelec (pedal-assist e-cycle)
An electric cycle whose motor only assists while you pedal, capped in India at 250 W and 25 km/h assistance. Within those limits it needs no registration, licence or insurance, which is the pedelec's whole regulatory advantage. E-cycles above 250 W or with a full throttle may fall outside the exemption, so check before assuming licence-free.
PM E-DRIVE
The central government demand-incentive scheme that succeeded FAME II, subsidising electric two- and three-wheelers (not private cars; fleets, buses and other categories have their own components) through per-kWh incentives with caps, paid via the dealer at purchase. The scheme has a validity window and a funds cap, and incentives can be lower than FAME II's were, so check whether the incentive is still live for the model you are buying.
Range anxiety
The fear of running out of charge before reaching a charger. In practice it fades quickly for buyers whose daily distance is well inside the vehicle's real-world range and who can charge where they park; it stays a genuine constraint for buyers with no fixed parking or frequent unplanned highway runs. The honest fix is matching real-world range (not the claim) to your actual daily kilometres before buying.
Real-world range
The distance an EV actually covers on real roads with real traffic, weather and riding style, as opposed to the certified lab claim. EVz records an independently tested real-world figure wherever one exists and labels it separately from the claim; the gap between the two is one of the most useful facts in an EV purchase.
Regenerative braking
Using the motor as a generator when you slow down, feeding energy back into the battery instead of wasting it as brake heat. It adds a little range in stop-go traffic and saves brake wear; strength is usually adjustable, and at its strongest enables one-pedal driving.
Removable battery
A battery pack you can take out of the vehicle and carry indoors to charge from any household socket. On a specific set of scooters and motorcycles it is the cleanest answer to street parking or a society with no socket near your bay. No electric car in India is sold with one. Packs of 1.5 to 3 kWh are a genuine carry, so lift one at a test ride before committing to a daily stairs routine.
Resale value (EV)
What the vehicle fetches second-hand. EV resale in India is still an immature market: it hinges on battery health, warranty transfer and brand survival more than odometer reading, and per-model data is thin. Be sceptical of anyone quoting confident per-model resale percentages today.
Road tax waiver
Several Indian states charge EVs no road tax at registration, a saving worth thousands on a two-wheeler and lakhs on a premium car. Policies differ by state and change with notification dates, and at least one state has moved the other way with a lifetime tax on higher-priced electric cars, so verify your state's current rule before budgeting.
Running cost per km
The energy cost of each kilometre: electricity price per kWh divided by the vehicle's km per kWh. On home electricity it is a fraction of the petrol equivalent, which is where an EV pays its buyer back; the exact figure depends on efficiency, so compare per model rather than trusting a generic claim.
Section 80EEB
An income-tax deduction on interest paid on EV loans that applied to loans sanctioned up to March 2023. It is closed to new loans; if a seller or lender quotes it as a current benefit for a fresh purchase, that is outdated information.
SoH (state of health)
A battery's remaining usable capacity as a percentage of its original capacity; 90% SoH means the pack has lost a tenth of its capacity. SoH is the single most important number when valuing a used EV, and the hardest to verify independently in India today, since brands rarely expose it directly to owners or buyers.
State EV subsidy
A cash incentive some states add on top of central schemes, typically per kWh of battery with a cap. State schemes lapse, exhaust their budgets or change eligibility with little notice, so an honest calculation treats a lapsed or exhausted scheme as zero rather than promising vanished money.
TCO (total cost of ownership)
Everything the vehicle costs over the years you own it: purchase price, energy, insurance, maintenance, minus resale value. EVs usually cost more upfront and much less to run, so TCO, not sticker price, is the honest basis for an EV-vs-petrol decision.
Test ride / test drive
The single highest-value hour in an EV purchase. Beyond the drive itself, use it to check the things brochures hide: how the range meter falls against real kilometres, how heavy a removable battery actually is, where the charger cable reaches, and how the vehicle behaves with a pillion or full load.
Type 2 connector
The standard plug for AC charging on electric cars in India, used by home wall boxes and most public AC points. If you buy a wall box, this is almost certainly its plug.
Wall box (home charger)
A fixed AC charging unit installed where you park. It charges faster and tidier than the portable cable and can schedule off-peak charging, but it is a convenience upgrade, not a requirement: nearly every EV sold in India ships with a portable charger that works from a normal 15A socket, so confirm it is included for your model before paying for hardware you may not need.
WLTP
The Worldwide Harmonised Light-vehicle Test Procedure, the range certification cycle used in Europe. Some imported EVs sold in India quote WLTP figures instead of ARAI. WLTP is generally closer to reality than Indian lab cycles but still optimistic, and WLTP and ARAI numbers are not directly comparable, so check which cycle a brochure figure comes from before comparing models.
Zero-depreciation cover
An insurance add-on that pays claims without deducting depreciation on replaced parts. It matters more on EVs than petrol vehicles because the battery and electronics are costly, and standard depreciation deductions on them can gut a claim.
FAQ
What is the difference between ARAI range and real-world range?
ARAI range is the lab-certified figure brands advertise; real-world range is what the vehicle covers on real roads. The claim runs consistently optimistic, which is why EVz records and labels both separately.
What does kWh mean on an EV?
kWh (kilowatt-hour) is the battery's energy capacity, the EV equivalent of tank size. Multiply it by your electricity tariff and you get the cost of a full charge.
Do I need a licence for an electric cycle or low-speed scooter in India?
Pedal-assist e-cycles limited to 250 W and 25 km/h assistance, and low-speed scooters limited to 250 W and 25 km/h, need no registration or driving licence. Anything above those limits is a registered vehicle.