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Wiki EV Acronyms

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Wiki

Member
Mar 21, 2016
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As might be expected in any specialized area, we use a lot of acronyms on this forum. Below is a list of some of the more common ones.

To Editors:
  • This list is only for acronyms, not for EV or Tesla specific terms like "Supercharger", "Vampire Loss", "Frunk".
  • Add new acronyms in alphabetical order to a new row. To add a new blank row, toggle BB code and insert this code after a [/TR] tag:
    [TR][TD].[/TD][TD].[/TD][TD].[/TD][/TR]
AcronymCategoryDescription
AElectrical TerminologyAmpere (amp), the SI unit of electric current
ABRPCompany or OrganizationA Better Route Planner
APVehicle TerminologyAutopilot
AWDVehicle TerminologyAll Wheel Drive
AWGElectrical TerminologyAmerican Wire Gauge - measurement of the cross section of a conductor, the rest of the world denotes the diameter in millimeters
BEVVehicle TerminologyBattery electric vehicle. Cars like Tesla or Nissan Leaf are sometimes called BEV to differentiate them from fuel cell vehicles are also electric vehicles
BMSVehicle TerminologyBattery Management System
CACElectrical TerminologyCalculated Amp-hour Capacity. Example: CAC is 162 Ah (Amp hours). This term is commonly used among Tesla Roadster owners as a measure of battery health
CANVehicle TerminologyController Area Network
CCSCharging and ChargersCombined Charging System (SAE DC fast charging connector, based on the J1772 in N. America and the Mennekes type 2 plug in Europe)
CdVehicle TerminologyDrag Coefficient (a measure of aerodynamics)
CdAVehicle TerminologyDrag Area (Cd times cross-sectional area)
CHAdeMOCharging and ChargersA Japanese-developed standard for EV DC quick charging
CIDVehicle TerminologyCentral Information Display (see also MCU)
cTVehicle TerminologyCyberTruck
DVehicle TerminologyDual motor: A Tesla equipped with two (front and rear axle) motors, each with a fixed gear reduction and a power inverter to provide all wheel drive (AWD). This improves traction, stability, and efficiency at high speed. It also increases the power and performance of the vehicle at the expense of higher cost, weight, and smaller frunk space
DOECompany or OrganizationUnited States Department of Energy
DTECharging and ChargersDistance to Empty
EAPVehicle TerminologyEnhanced Autopilot (a package option when ordering a Tesla)
EMPersonElon Musk
EPACompany or OrganizationUS Environmental Protection Agency. They test the driving range of electric vehicles and publish on their website. For example the Model S 85 has 265 miles EPA rated range. A list of all electric vehicles and their EPA rated range numbers can be found on the EPA website here. A 5 cycle test is performed to test the range. More info about this test can be found here
ERBusinessEarnings report
EREVVehicle TerminologyExtended Range Electric Vehicle
EVVehicle TerminologyElectric Vehicle
EVSECharging and ChargersElectric Vehicle Supply Equipment (delivers power to an EV)
FCEVVehicle TerminologyFuel-Cell Electric Vehicle (rebranding of HFCVs from the hydrogen industry)
FCVVehicle TerminologyFuel-Cell Vehicle (most likely hydrogen)
FSKRCompany or OrganizationFisker Automotive. Maker of Karma and Atlantic EREVs
FWDVehicle Terminology1. Front-wheel drive
2. Falcon wing doors
GFCompany or OrganizationGigafactory
GMCompany or OrganizationGeneral Motors. A major Tesla competitor
HFCVVehicle TerminologyHydrogen Fuel-Cell Vehicle
HIDVehicle TerminologyHigh Intensity Discharge headlamps
HPCCharging and ChargersHigh-Power Connector (a Tesla specific non-portable 240V EVSE)
HPWCCharging and ChargersHigh-Power Wall Connector (a Tesla specific non-portable 240V EVSE)
HUDVehicle TerminologyHead-Up Display
ICVehicle TerminologyInstrument Cluster
ICEVehicle TerminologyInternal Combustion Engine
IPBusinessIntellectual property
JBPersonJB Straubel
J1772Charging and ChargersA SAE-developed standard for EV electrical connectors & signalling related to charging EVs
kWElectrical TerminologyKilowatt = 1,000 W. Unit of power. Example: "The type 2 charger was capable of 20 kW"
kWhElectrical TerminologyKilowatt-hour = 1,000 Wh. Unit of energy. Example: "This Model S battery stores 85 kWh energy"
LHDVehicle TerminologyLeft Hand Drive
LRVehicle TerminologyLong Range. As in the Tesla Model 3 Long Range with a battery capable of driving more than 300 miles
MaaSVehicle TerminologyMobility-as-a-Service. Services such as Lyft and the future Tesla Network
MBCompany or OrganizationMercedes Benz. A marque of Daimler
MCVehicle TerminologyMulti-coat paint. Example: Tesla's MC red costs $1500 extra
MC240Charging and ChargersOriginal Roadster 240V portable EVSE (NEMA14-50 only)
MCUVehicle TerminologyMedia Control Unit (the Tesla 17" touchscreen and the computer and I/O modules mounted behind it), see also CID
MPGVehicle TerminologyMiles per Gallon
MPGeVehicle TerminologyMiles per Gallon gasoline equivalent
MPHVehicle TerminologyMiles Per Hour. Either rate of travel or rate of charging the vehicle after driving. eg. "My Tesla Model 3 can go more than 100 MPH, and it can charge at 1000 MPH but only for a few minutes as it fills"
MSVehicle TerminologyModel S
MWElectrical TerminologyMegawatt = 1,000 kW = 1,000,000 W
MWhElectrical TerminologyMegawatt-hour = 1,000 kWh = 1,000,000 Wh
MXVehicle TerminologyModel X
MYVehicle Terminology1. Model Y
2. Model Year - the year a car was manufactured
M3Vehicle TerminologyModel 3
NEDCCompany or OrganizationNew European Driving Cycle. Electric vehicles sold in Europe advertise their range as NEDC rated range. For example the Model S 85 has 400 km NEDC rated range
NEMACompany or OrganizationNational Electrical Manufacturers Association (plug standards). Nema 14-50 is the most common 240V wall socked in the USA used with Tesla's Universal Mobile Connector (UMC)
PVehicle TerminologyTesla Model S, general Production run
P85Vehicle TerminologyPerformance edition of the 85 kWh Tesla Model S
PEMVehicle TerminologyPower Electronics Module
PG&ECompany or OrganizationPacific Gas & Electric (utility serving northern California)
PGECompany or OrganizationPortland General Electric (utility serving Portland, OR)
PHEVVehicle TerminologyPlug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle
PiPVehicle TerminologyPlug-in Prius (Toyota PHEV)
RVehicle TerminologyTesla Model S, general production run reserved by Roadster owner or friend
REXVehicle TerminologyRange extender. BMW i3 REX comes with a range extender ICE engine
RFMCCharging and ChargersRoadster Foundry Mobile Connector ('home-brew' UMC)
RHDVehicle TerminologyRight Hand Drive
S85Vehicle TerminologyStandard (non-performance) edition of the 85 kWh Tesla Model S
SACompany or OrganizationSeekingAlpha: A stock market news website known for their anti-Tesla articles
SAECompany or OrganizationSociety of Automotive Engineers (now SAE International) A US-based institution that develops standards for automotive and allied industries
SCMultiple meanings/categories1. Supercharger (alt. SpC)
2. Service Center (alt. SvC)
SCECompany or OrganizationSouthern California Edison (electric utility serving southern California)
SCTYCompany or OrganizationNASDAQ stock market symbol for SolarCity Corporation, now Tesla Energy
SigVehicle TerminologyTesla Model S, Signature Edition (sometimes also referred to simply as S - e.g. S1 for first sig. vehicle)
SOCCharging and ChargersState of Charge (% of full)
SPBusinessStock price
SpCCharging and ChargersSupercharger
SSLVehicle TerminologyTesla Model S, Signature Edition reserved by Roadster owner or friend
SRVehicle TerminologyStandard Range. As in the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range with a battery capable of driving less than 250 miles
SvCService and MaintenanceService Center
TACompany or OrganizationTesla Automotive
TECompany or OrganizationTesla Energy
TMCompany or Organization1. Tesla Motors, Inc.
2. NASDAQ Symbol of Toyota Motor Corp.
TMCCompany or Organization1. Tesla Motors Club (this forum)
2. Toyota Motor Corporation
3. Tesla Motors Company (only made in error, not recommended)
TSLACompany or OrganizationNASDAQ stock market symbol for Tesla Motors
UMCCharging and ChargersUniversal Mobile Connector (a Tesla-specific charging connector cable)
VElectrical TerminologyVolt, the SI unit of electric potential. V = W/A
VINVehicle TerminologyVehicle Identification Number. See Decoding Tesla Model S VINs
WElectrical TerminologyWatt, a unit of power. W = V*A
WhElectrical TerminologyWatt-hour, a unit of energy. 1 W applied continuously for 1 hour
Wh/kmElectrical TerminologyWatt-hours per kilometre. Unit of average energy consumption for electric vehicles outside the USA and UK
Wh/miElectrical TerminologyWatt-hours per mile. Unit of average energy consumption for electric vehicles in the USA and UK
 
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I added some.

I put in 'Supercharger' to go along with CHAdeMO even though it isn't an acronym.
Do you guys think it makes sense to have it here, or should we leave it off?

- - - Updated - - -

The Model S Options page discusses the "High Power Wall Connector" (HPWC), whereas the Roadster has the HPC ("High Power Connector"). If I've got that wrong, though, let's change it!

We took to calling the Model S version 'HPC2' for a while. Not sure if Tesla ever called it that themselves though...

This Roadster page:
High Power Wall Connector (charging, high power connector, hpc) Tesla Motors
is titled "High Power Wall Connector", but the URL itself is just "high power connector".
...The High Power Wall Connector is the fastest way to charge your Roadster and ideal to install in your garage...
Further on that page, they refer to it as just the "Home Connector".

Another Roadster HPWC page:
High Power Wall Connector | Charging Solutions | Tesla Motors

So, I don't think HPWC is Model S specific... Rather I think they (somewhat) interchangeably used HPC & HPWC to describe the same thing. And also use HPWC for both Roadster and Model S even though there are two different products designed for those different vehicles.

Model S charging page:
Charging Model S | Tesla Motors
...A High Power Wall Connector is installed on a 240 volt circuit...

I went ahead and edited and took out mention of HPC for Roadster + HPWC for Model S since I don't think that is a correct description/delineation. With the right adapter, old HPC/HPWC can be used with Model S anyways...

----

This is 'weird'... Check out this unfinished page:
Charging Model S | Tesla Motors
 
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How about a "slang" category. "Perf" is used a lot and even knowing about the performance car my brain automatically thinks "perforation" and made me think they were ordering a Model S with perforated leather seats! Then Blue Star, White Star, etc could be added just as an area where newbies could learn the various terminology used here.
 
We took to calling the Model S version 'HPC2' for a while. Not sure if Tesla ever called it that themselves though...
...
This is 'weird'... Check out this unfinished page:
Charging Model S | Tesla Motors

HPC2 was a natural extension since Tesla was referring to the Model S UMC as the UMC2.

hero_UMC-02.png


Looks like someone has an oil leak.​
 
Perf Tesla Model S (any edition) with the Performance option
P85 Performance edition of the 85 kWh Tesla Model S
S85 Standard (non-performance) edition of the 85 kWh Tesla Model S
We should probably add P85+ to this list for Model S.

But my real point for posting is for X...

For now let's assume the battery sizes are the same as the S.

X60
X85
X85A? X85D?
X85AP? X85DP?

Also, when/if AWD comes to S ...
S85AP? S85DP?
S85AP+? S85DP+?


Note that (AFAIK) (1) "S (non-AWD) Perf" exists but "X non-AWD Perf" won't while (2) "X AWD non-Perf" will exist while "S AWD Non-Perf" might not.
 
Hi. I made these changes:


  • I merged small tables. When the reader comes here to find an acronym, he doesn't know what category it belongs. He would have to check all small tables. Imagine a foreign language dictionary that separates nouns, adjectives, adverbs and verbs. If you don't know a word, which category do you look at? You wouldn't know. It would be super annoying if you had to check all categories for each word. Therefore dictionaries are not divided into multiple categories. There is a single category. You find the word and then it tells you if it is a noun or verb etc. I followed the same method.
  • I added notes to other editors to the beginning.
  • I removed "PERF". This is not an acronym. Shorter versions of words (example: fab) are not acronyms.
  • I removed "Supercharger". That is not an acronym either. Yes that is a specific term to Tesla but unless somebody changes the title of this wiki to "EV Acronyms and Vocabulary", only acronyms should be on the list I think. If the wiki is renames we could add unique words like "Supercharger", "Vampire Loss" and "Frunk" to a second table below the existing table.
  • I added RHD, LHD, EPA, NEDC, Wh/mi, Wh/km.
  • I added a new column called category to preserve the category information that existed before tables were merged. This way no information is lost.
  • I added borders. Makes it easier to read.
 
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  • Brec, good idea. I've added "SC: Service Center".
  • Most dictionaries have one entry for words with multiple meanings. Following the dictionary method I merged SC, TM, TMC into a single row.
  • Added VIN and REX
  • Added button icons to editor notes on top
 
I was reading something on the roadster and don´t know what a PEM is - have only heard of it as a kind of fuel cell which this is obviously not about.
For fuel cells, PEM is the Proton Exchange Membrane.

For the Tesla Roadster, PEM stands for Power Electronics Module.
What is the PEM?

That should probably be part of this list.
 
Looks like the editing instructions are no longer current (possibly not the same since the forum update). From what I can tell, I can only do raw code edit. I could update the raw code, but I think I'll wait for confirmation that this is the only way it can be updated for now (who knows, maybe I'm just missing something).