EV Charging Terminology

A Charge Point Operator (CPO) is the organisation responsible for operating one or more EV charge points. Under UK public charging regulation, the CPO is the charge point owner or the person operating it on the owner's behalf. Depending on the commercial arrangement, the CPO may manage availability, maintenance, pricing, payments, roaming, data, customer support and backend operation directly or through contracted service providers.

Contactless payment allows users to pay for charging using a bank card, phone or compatible contactless payment method. It is normally assessed alongside measurement accuracy, payment records, tariffs, transaction data and legal metrology requirements.

A display screen is a visual interface on a charger used to show instructions, status, tariff, payment or fault information. It is normally assessed alongside authorisation method, user experience, accessibility, payment flow and support requirements.

A dynamic QR code is generated for a specific charger, session, user journey or payment flow, rather than being a fixed code printed permanently on the charger. The code can direct the user to the correct session or payment process and may expire after use or after a defined time.

High Power Charging refers to very high-output DC charging intended to add energy quickly during short stops. It is normally assessed alongside charging mode, AC/DC architecture, power rating, connector type and how the charger shares or delivers power.

An integrated payment terminal is a built-in card or contactless payment device on the charger.

EV charging infrastructure available for use by members of the public, including on-street, rapid, destination and en-route charging. It is normally assessed alongside authorisation method, user experience, accessibility, payment flow and support requirements.

Rapid charging generally refers to higher-power charging intended to add significant range in a shorter period, commonly using DC infrastructure. It is normally assessed alongside charging mode, AC/DC architecture, power rating, connector type and how the charger shares or delivers power.

Ultra-rapid charging describes very high-power DC charging designed for short dwell times and high energy transfer. It is normally assessed alongside charging mode, AC/DC architecture, power rating, connector type and how the charger shares or delivers power.