In electric cars, what does BEV stand for?

In electric cars, BEV stands for battery electric vehicle.

A BEV uses electricity stored in an onboard rechargeable battery pack to power its traction motor or motors. It has no internal-combustion engine as a propulsion source, distinguishing it from hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles. In everyday speech, “EV” is often used for a BEV, although EV can be a broader category.

BEVs receive energy primarily by plugging into charging equipment. Regenerative braking can also send some energy back to the battery, but it does not replace charging. The battery’s capacity, measured in kilowatt-hours, influences potential range; charging speed depends on the vehicle, charger and electrical conditions.

A common mix-up is confusing BEV with PHEV, or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. A PHEV has a battery and electric motor but also retains an internal-combustion engine. Fuel-cell electric vehicles are electric vehicles too, but they generate electricity from hydrogen rather than relying exclusively on a large traction battery.