EV Charging Protocols: An Insight into Communication Standards
As many new developments are going on in the EV industry,the implementation of regulations and standards for charging stations is also developing and they are aimed to ensure interoperability among charging facilities.The protocols play a key role in systemizing charging infrastructure.This article will focus on charging protocol.
What are protocols and why do we need it?
Protocols are a set of rules and guidelines certifying smooth communication and data exchange between various entities in the electric vehicle (EV) industry.Protocols enable flexibility and interoperability for the entire EV market. Standardisation is also important for optimising costs and improving scalability. There are many protocols and standards that apply to the development of a charging facility.
Different protocols and standards
Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP)
Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI)
Open Automated Demand Response (OpenADR)
Open Smart Charging Protocol (OSCP)
Open Clearing House Protocol (OCHP)
Open Inter-Charge Protocol (OICP)
eMobility Interoperation Protocol (eMIP)
ISO 15118
Let's understand first protocol i.e. OCPP
The Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP)
The Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) was developed by the Open Charge Alliance (OCA), facilitating communication between electric vehicle charging stations and their respective central management systems.It is an international, open-source, vendor-independent standard which is available for free. It offers operators plenty of flexibility when selecting EVSE models and simple access for electric vehicle drivers.This protocol reduces cost and the risk of networked infrastructure investments.OCPP has quickly become the industry standard for EV infrastructure interoperability.
Many key players in the EV industry (charging station manufacturers, utilities, charge point operators and back-office software providers) contributed to the development of the protocol.
OCPP 1.6 -Charging station manufacturers, utility companies, charge point operators and back-office software providers - have collaborated to develop OCPP 1.6: a protocol that provides smart charging capability while maintaining high levels of security. Most of today's implementations are based on this version of the standard.
OCPP 2.0.1- The latest version, OCPP 2.0.1, has a lot of improved features for device management, transaction handling, security, smart charging functionalities, support for display and messaging and the extensibility of OCPP.OCPP 2.0.1 also offers the option to support plug and charge for electric vehicles supporting the ISO 15118 protocol.OCPP 2.0.1 was featured in one of the Open Charge Alliance Webinars.
How OCPP works(Sequence of events)
The driver makes a reservation request for a particular charger prior to arriving at the charging station, typically through a mobile app or through messaging.
On the backend, this charger is put on hold for the driver.
As the driver arrives, they identify themselves and the charger authorises them.
The charger physically unlocks the connector that the driver plugs into their car.
The charger starts the charging session.
The driver enters a nearby store for a cup of coffee and eventually receives a notification that the charging session has ended.
The driver sets the connector back into the socket and the charger locks the socket.
The charger triggers a billing event with the driver according to their usage and the CPO’s pricing.
Advantages of OCPP
No stranded asset
Many business owners are concerned that investment in charging point infrastructure could become outdated in the years to come and leave them with losses.But OCPP compatible charging points will update and learn with the changing nature and demand of the EV market, using each version to bring the latest system requirements to users.
Interoperability
Interoperability is the ability of different information systems, devices and applications/systems to access, exchange, integrate and cooperatively use data in a coordinated manner.
In an open network, you can choose the price you pay for EV charging services and can avoid being pushed into long-term agreements where a station manufacturer or service provider dictates the price to you.
Reduced cost
If companies share the technology and experience then new developments will be available at less cost. By using OCPP you don’t have to be forced into paying inflated fees for your charging station network because you can always just easily swap your network for a cheaper one.
Summing up
Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) comes in to create a truly streamlined charging experience for various devices and programs .So they can communicate seamlessly. Standardisation and interoperability could boost the adoption of electric vehicles.OCPP also makes it easier to create a large-scale, visible network that uses a range of different charging stations.OCPP software enables mobile apps, central management systems and EV charging stations to talk to each other using the same language.
