Relationship between ISO 15118 and Plug and Charge(P&C)
The increasing demand for electric vehicles has made it imperative to provide a user-friendly and efficient charging network.The worldwide standard for EV charging, ISO 15118 Plug and Charge, is crucial in streamlining the charging procedure. This revolutionary technology eliminates the need for physical cards, apps, or RFID. Rather, at commercial EV charging stations, it offers a seamless and automated charging experience. We will examine the relationship between ISO 15118 and Plug and Charge in this blog post.
ISO 15118 Plug and Charge: What is it?
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) created the communication protocol standard ISO 15118. It creates a structure for standardized and safe communication between an EV and a business-based EV charging station. The ISO 15118-2 standard established the Plug and Charge EV function, which streamlines the charging procedure by allowing automatic permission, payment, and authentication through the EV itself.
How ISO 15118 enables P&C?
Plug and Charge (P&C) is a feature that enables charging to begin automatically and securely just by plugging the electric vehicle into the charging station; the technical framework and communication protocols for this feature are provided by the ISO 15118 standard. Let's take a closer look at how ISO 15118 enables P&C:
● Identity Authentication: Digital certificates are used in accordance with ISO 15118 to provide a safe and mutually authenticating mechanism for electric vehicles and charging stations. By establishing mutual trust, this authentication helps to ensure that the P&C process is safe and automated for both the vehicle and the station.
● Contract Certificates: A significant feature of ISO 15118 is the introduction of “contract certificates”. These certificates allow vehicles to carry contract information from charging service providers. When an EV is plugged into a charging station, the station reads the contract certificate, enabling automatic authentication and billing without any additional input from the user.
● Payment Authorization: The standard also defines a protocol for securely transmitting payment information through an encrypted channel. This means that once the vehicle is authenticated, the payment process can proceed automatically and securely, eliminating the need for physical payment methods or manual entry of payment information.
● Session Management: ISO 15118 specifies the standard process for establishing, maintaining, and terminating charging sessions. This ensures that once an EV is connected to a charging station, the entire charging process is managed smoothly and efficiently, providing a hassle-free experience for the user.
ISO 15118’s communication protocols are essential to the P&C feature’s implementation. This standard guarantees safe, effective, and user-friendly interactions between electric cars and charging stations.
It is impossible to overestimate the significance of a streamlined and effective charging network as we head toward a time when electric cars will predominate on public roadways. In order to accomplish this goal, ISO 15118 and the Plug and Charge capability are important advancements. They provide a look into a future in which charging your electric car will be as easy and natural as plugging it in, by doing away with the requirement for physical authentication and payment methods. This improves the user experience while also encouraging more people to buy electric cars, which makes the world a greener and more sustainable place.


