Driverz Glossary

Standard petrol containing up to 10% renewable ethanol. Most modern petrol cars can use E10.

Petrol containing up to 5% ethanol. In the UK it is usually sold as super unleaded for vehicles that cannot use E10.

Standard diesel containing up to 7% biodiesel. You may see B7 labels on diesel pumps.

Miles per gallon. Higher MPG usually means the vehicle travels further for the same amount of fuel.

Pence per litre. A petrol price of 139.9p means £1.399 per litre.

Higher-octane petrol or branded diesel. It may help some engines, but many standard cars do not need it.

A petrol rating linked to resistance to engine knock. Standard UK unleaded is commonly labelled 95 RON.

A diesel exhaust fluid used by many modern diesel vehicles to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. It goes in a separate AdBlue tank, not the diesel tank.

Kilowatt-hour. Used to measure EV battery capacity and electricity used for charging.

Kilowatt. Used to describe charging speed or motor power. Higher kW usually means faster charging if the vehicle supports it.

A common rapid-charging connector used by many modern EVs in the UK and Europe.

A common AC charging connector used for many home, workplace and public chargers.

An older rapid-charging connector used by some EVs. It is less common on newer models than CCS.

Public high-power charging, usually used during longer journeys. It is often more expensive than home charging.

An EV system that recovers energy when slowing down and sends some of it back to the battery.

Worry about whether an EV has enough battery range to complete a journey or reach a charger.

Ultra Low Emission Zone. A charge zone for vehicles that do not meet required emissions standards.

Clean Air Zone. A city area where some higher-emission vehicles may need to pay a daily charge.

A charge for driving in a defined central London zone during charging hours. It is separate from ULEZ.

Vehicle Excise Duty, often called road tax. The amount depends on vehicle type, emissions and registration details.

The annual roadworthiness test required for most vehicles over three years old.

Penalty Charge Notice. Often used for parking, bus lane, congestion or clean air zone penalties.

Points added to a driving licence after certain offences. Too many points can lead to disqualification.

An insurance discount based on claim-free driving history. It can reduce premiums but rules vary by insurer.

Brake horsepower. A measure of engine power often used in car specifications.

Pulling force from the engine or motor. Higher torque can help acceleration and towing ability.

A vehicle using both an engine and electric motor. Many hybrids do not need to be plugged in.

A hybrid with a larger battery that can be charged from an external power source.

The grooves in a tyre that help grip the road and clear water. Low tread increases risk and can be illegal.

A system that switches the engine off when stationary and restarts it when needed to reduce fuel use.