Actively supported two commercial open standards facilitating EV roaming.

Piotr Majcher

Interoperability demands a flexible approach and cooperation between market participants. For opening the electric car charging market open standards have been established. Two are an initiative of independent associations (responsible for the development of Open Charge Point Interface and Open Clearing House Protocol). The two other open standards for EV roaming are privately held but similarly open and free to apply. Hub operators GIREVE and Hubject offer innovative customer-friendly service networks for cross-border charging. Both hubs actively support network growth. Becoming a marketplace for charge point operators, e-mobility service providers, car manufacturers, energy suppliers, and public institutions Hubject and GIREVE offer a broad range of profitable solutions and facilitated communication benefits.

Hubject’s network expands beyond Europe. At the moment hub operator connects 767 partners in 52 countries offering over 250 000 charging stations. Hubject is a joint venture of the BMW Group, Bosch, EnBW, Enel X, Mercedes-Benz, innogy, Siemens, and the Volkswagen Group. Initiated in 2012, forms now the largest pool of charging stations. Via intercharge, the dedicated e-mobility platform, provides standardized access to charging infrastructure. Besides, Hubject advises automotive manufacturers, charging providers, and other EV-related businesses launching e-mobility services or implementing Plug&Charge with ISO 15118.

GIREVE has been created as a startup by leading French players in electric mobility: Renault, CNR, la Caisse des Dépôts, EDF et Enedis. At the moment GIREVE operates on 31 European markets and offers 185 charging networks with 109 476 charging stations accessible via EV roaming. Following the open policy in November 2020 hub operator announced becoming a Full Contributor of EV Roaming Foundation (the one responsible for the development of the OCPI open standard). This provides enhanced opportunities for partners. For instance, for an operator being already OCPI compliant, there is no extra cost to connect to GIREVE. Offering two standards for interoperability enables innovation and progress for e-mobility.

OICP was designed in 2012 by Hubject - formed by leading automotive experts in Germany. Besides being the roaming platform, Hubject offers technical connection and contractual arrangements for e-roaming. The general structure of the OICP is divided into two parts - for the eMobility Service Providers and Charge Point Operators, nevertheless, the product offer is constantly being developed. Hubject proclaims the OCIP is “the most widely implemented communication standard between European eMSP and CPO systems”. The most recent version, 2.3, was released in October 2020. The newest update of the protocol follows market requirements - improves the POI quality in an upscaling market, calibration law compatibility, data process performance, and offers higher transparency on the different charging use cases. Additionally, Hubject offers helpful and relevant for CPOs set of remote testing functionalities, for complex examination of various use cases. With the recent protocol update, from July 1st, OCPI 2.1 will be withdrawn.

The protocol is publicly available at no cost and requires no registration. From May 2019, OICP became an open-source protocol, free of charge, distributed on Hubject’s website and on open code distribution systems. The aim is to include more stakeholders in the evolution of OICP. The protocol is published under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. This grants easy distribution and to be shared under the same consent. Additionally, Hubject offers Hubject-compatibility certification.

OICP is formed on SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) and uses an object-based approach. It’s a real-time protocol, that also offers asynchronous operations. Although a back-up database is provided, Hubject doesn’t actively support downloads to the charging station. The platform maintains a record of the transaction data.

The OICP protocol documentation establishes market roles as follows:

The EV user/owner wants to charge an EV at a charge point/charge station, and has an agreement with the eMSP.

The eMobility Service Provider wants to enable EV owners the access the charge points. In most cases, the eMSP has a valid contract and transfers information with the Charge Point Operator via Hubject’s platform. Hubject offers connection via eMSP aggregator, which enables communication with the platform. This means several eMSPs can integrate via an eMSP aggregator, hence, the sub-partners do not need to associate with Hubject.

The Charge Point Operator (CPO) manages a charge point. The operator has a signed contract and exchanges information via Hubject’s platform. Like eMSPs, several CPOs can integrate via a CPO aggregator. Appropriately the sub-partners do not need to register with Hubject, because the communication with Hubject is done via the CPO aggregator.

Hubject, being a roaming hub, facilitates communication between eMSPs and CPOs via the EV roaming platform Hubject Brokering System.

OICP supports the following functionalities:

Roaming via hub - The CPO and the eMSP system connect to based on web services Hubject B2B Service Platform. Both parties, the CPO and MSP, have an e-roaming contract through Hubject.

Ad hoc payment - ‘Intercharge direct’ is an ad hoc payment dedicated solution integrated in OICP and Hubject platform. This allows any contractless EV owner to charge up and pay at any charging station.

Authorization - Hubject links the IDs of eMSPs or CPOs and SSL certificate information. Then each does or does not authorize the charge session. Hubject’s database performs as back-up, but not actively support downloads from their database to the charging station.

Reservation - An EV owner can book a charge point e.g. via eMSP app. Hubject checks charge point compatibility with the EV.  If matches send the request to the CPO, which in return responds whether the booking was successful. A reservation can also be withdrawn.

Billing - Charge session data is recorded in Charge detail records (CDRs). Hubject passes on the CDR to the eMSP and stores the CDR in the system.

Charge point information - Uploaded charge point information can be distributed between CPOs and eMSPs via Hubject’s platform. The information areas are charge point ID, CPO, charge point name, charge point location (name, address, geocode, type), time zone, opening times, current availability, accessibility, tariffs, authorization modes, means of payment, charge mode, connector type, maximum power, hub connection, support contact number, reservation possible, real-time status information possible, predictive charge point usage, smart charging services, and the date of the last update. OICP maintains flexible pricing based on charge facility, charge point location, and time-of-use.

Real-time charge point information - This covers dynamic charge point availability status and tariff information.

Session information - Session ID, service specifics, charge point ID, authentication data, start and end time of charging, start and end time of connection, starting and stopping meter value, meter value in between, consumed energy, CPO ID, MSP ID.

Remote start/stop - From within the eMSP application, a charging session can be operated.


eMIP is designed and developed by a French start-up. Created in 2013 by leading French players in electric mobility: Renault, CNR, la Caisse des Dépôts, EDF et Enedis with the main objective to provide “open access to vehicle charging stations”. The core business of GIREVE is to offer a roaming platform for eMSPs and CPOs.

The eMobility Interoperation Protocol enables roaming via clearinghouse data. The protocol provides access to charging point databases, and smart charging features. Although the GIREVE’s main market is France, in 2017 expansion covered the connection of European operators in Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, UK, Italy, Romania, Norway, Czech Republic, Lettonia, Hungary, Denmark, Belgium, Spain, Slovakia, Irland, and Luxembourg. In 2018 GIREVE’s platform was made compatible with the open protocol OCPI. Currently, the roaming platform operates in 28 countries.

The most recent version, eMIP 1.0.7, was released at the end of July 2019. eMIP is open for free although requires registration. GIREVE also proposes certification services. Moreover, to join GIREVE, the before-mentioned certification is required to connect to the platform. The eMIP protocol is open and, when a partner is approved by GIREVE, allows complete benefits. This includes connecting with a different hub platform or conducting peer-to-peer connections. Note, the protocol documentation explicitly declares GIREVE as the hub platform, the eMIP in practice does not apply to peer-to-peer connections. To ensure a high level of architectural openness and up-to-date offering, GIREVE consults with stakeholders potential future functionalities. GIREVE entirely takes responsibility for the eMIP protocol, in contrast to the previously mentioned approaches (commercial and non-commercial), there is no formal eMIP-member association.

eMIP is based on SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol). Although eMIP is designed as a real-time protocol, it also supports asynchronous operations. The peculiarity of eMIP’s architecture makes it fairly adaptable and flexible. Any new sorts of data messages, or identification methods, can quickly be added via definition tables.

eMobility Interoperation Protocol documentation defines market roles as follows:

The EV user/owner wants to charge a vehicle at a charge point and an authorization medium.

The eMobility Services Providers warrant EV owners different services amongst which EV charging service, rental, car-sharing, navigation services, etc. The eMSP has a B2C agreement with the EV owner/user and a subscription to GIREVE’s platform.

The Charge Point Operator (CPO) accesses charging infrastructure and other services to EV users/owners and has a subscription to GIREVE’s platform.

The data aggregator applies to a system controlling charging infrastructure data in a given area and which can be inquired via GIREVE’s platform.

GIREVE, as a hub, manages the eMobility Services Platform which offers and ensures technical and functional means to standard services between the eMSPs, CPOs, and data aggregators.

eMobility Interopeational Protocol supports the following functionalities:

Roaming via hub - eMSPs, CPOs, and data aggregators join, based on web services, GIREVE’s roaming platform. The protocol documentation indicates GIREVE as the hub platform.

Authorization - eMIP offers several authorization processes.

Synchronous Authorization - check-in via the charge point (e.g. with an RFID card) or via the eMSP (e.g. an app).

Asynchronous Authorisation: Authentication Data Exchange. The eMSPs upload a list of approved subscribers to GIREVE’s platform. The list can be downloaded by CPOs. When charging at the charge point, e.g. via a RFID card, the CPO verifies the ID with the list provided.

Asynchronous Authentication Data Exchange & Synchronous Authorisation covers an event when CPOs do not download the list but request GIREVE to review the EV user ID. The decision on which authorization process to implement lies at the CPO's discretion.

Reservation - An EV driver can reserve a charge point via the eMSP app. (If the option is implemented and supported)

Billing - CDRs between CPOs and eMSPs are exchanged via GIREVE’s platform. This forms the foundation for invoicing. Via Asynchronous Exchange, the eMSP can download a CDR supplied by the CPO at any time, or via Synchronous Exchange - the eMSP gets quickly a CDR uploaded by the CPO.

Static charge point information - CPOs upload charge point information to GIREVE’s platform. GIREVE verifies the CPOs contract before updating their repository. The aforementioned data can be regained by CPOs, MSPs, and data aggregators. The information hold charge point ID, CPO, charge point manufacturer, charge point name, charge point location (address, geocode, type), time zone, opening times, current availability status, scheduled availability status, accessibility, tariffs, authorization modes, payment methods, charge mode, connector type, maximum power, guaranteed power, voltage, amperage, support contact, remote start/stop possible, reservation possible, and the time of the last update.

Real-time charge point information - GIREVE’s platform receives from CPOs the current availability status of the charge point. The CPOs agreement is verified before updating GIREVE’s repository. This includes scheduled status changes (e.g. for reservation).

Charge point search - The “charge point finder” function eMSPs can retrieve a list of charge points located in a given area and fulfill a set of charging criteria, (e.g. connector type).

Session information - Recorded and sent in the CDR - Charge Detail Record, covers the session ID, CPO ID, eMSP ID, EV user ID, charge point ID, contract ID, start and end time of charging session, metering report.

Real-time session information - With offered message service, CPOs can report events to eMSPs, and eMSPs can request actions while a charging session is in progress.

Remote start/stop - A charging session can be started or terminated by the eMSP.

Platform monitoring - GIREVE’s platform introduces a monitoring ability to check whether eMSPs, CPOs, and data aggregators have a valid connection to the platform. Specially designed “Heartbeat” tests the connection. The system sends “Heartbeat” requests to the associated companies.

EV roaming charging software of the e-mobility community

Privately held protocols offer great support and match users’ expectations. Joining at least one hub will be beneficial since emobility operators and providers can easily improve services and provide a top-notch experience. GIREVE and Hubject on a road to EV roaming extend charging infrastructure with additional user-friendly features. A cross-border network is on hand, and the support of emobility experts and industry leaders ensures the coherence and sustainability of the network. Keep in mind that even though both hubs are developing their individual protocols (OICP and eMIP), they also contribute to OCPI and OCHP growth.

OICP and eMIP refine the EV charging experience

The fact that both hubs were created at the initiative of automotive leaders makes the established EV charging e-roaming solution a guarantee of stability and accelerated growth of the whole network. Besides coverage of crucial functionalities, both protocols offer and develop additional services. The proof is in the numbers. Hubject operates on more than 50 markets on 4 continents and GIREVE offers a pan-European connection in nearly 30 countries. In light of the reality that the e-mobility market is growing rapidly and 2020 was a record year for electric car sales, it is expected that the scope of both hubs will continue to expand.

Actively supported two commercial open standards facilitating EV roaming. Discover cross-border e-mobility standards for accessible charging network.

EV roaming with open standards - OICP and eMIP

Two actively supported independent open standards for EV roaming.

In a search for interoperability, the e-mobility market players need to speak the same language. Demand for coherent infrastructure is dictated by rapid EV penetration. Several factors, such as local policies and incentives, contribute to an enthusiastic approval of electrically-powered vehicles. Hence, the focus has been transferred to the network and its ability to create open, accessible infrastructure. To match the pace - resonate with market expectations and work together to create an accessible, open environment - the new order needs EV roaming.

EV roaming is something users cannot see but witness, and whether knowingly or not, appreciate. Open standards create the road to consistent and complete e-roaming. With a large pool of contributors, up-to-date and secure solutions are available at hand to any participant in the rapidly growing e-mobility market. To understand the role of open standards in e-mobility here are explanations for widely approved models.

Note: In the e-mobility world there are four main open standards facilitating e-roaming. Two are developed and maintained by non-commercial hub operator and independent knowledge board - OCPI Open Charge Point Interface and OCHP - Open Clearing House Protocol & OCHPDirect. Two others were developed by commercial roaming hub operators. These are OICP Open InterCharge Protocol designed by Hubject and eMIP - eMobility Interoperation Protocol maintained by GIREVE.


Originally developed by eViolin, a Dutch association of Charging Station Operators and eMobility Service Providers, that pursues national roaming with international connection, using open standards. In cooperation with ElaadNL -  the knowledge and innovation center in the field of Smart Charging and the charging infrastructure in the Netherlands - major Dutch grid operators. Initially governed by the Nederlands Kennisplatform Laadinfrastructuur (NKL) - Netherlands Knowledge Platform for Public Charging Infrastructure - a partnership of business organizations, governmental figures, and research institutes. From May 2020 the OCPI is managed and maintained by the EVRoaming Foundation. Open Charge Point Interface offers p2p and any roaming hub integration business model.

OCPI is registration-free, openly available at no cost. Published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License. Hence, the distribution is free when given proper credit. Although blocks the distribution of the modified versions of the protocol. The most recent version (v2.2) was released in October 2019. Open Charge Point Interface offers a modular set-up, a very convenient way of deployment - it is up to the individual decision which modules to include. It also covers a variant check, a significant factor for peer-to-peer mutuality as there is no fundamental actor applying updates or completing to support previous protocol versions.

Open Charge Point Interface is the only, so far, set on JSON/rest and is a real-time protocol. It maintains synchronous and asynchronous operations.

Open Charge Point Interface carries multiple explications for Eichrecht (German calibration law for electric vehicle charging), as recommended by the top European e-mobility providers - Has-to-be, Alfen, eBee, and Mennekes. In March 2021 EVRoaming Foundation announced the start of the first independent Roaming Agreement pool. The organization aims to support setting up trusted agreements between parties, for either p2p or via a (virtual) roaming Hub. The pool is available for all Full Contributors (The foundation distinguishes the following membership classification categories: Full Contributor, Associate Contributor, Sponsors, and Managing Contributors).

The protocol’s documentation describes market roles as follows:

The EV user connects to a charge point in can be provided information from the MSP

The e-mobility service provider (eMSP), grants EV services to EV users. eMSP connects to Charge Point Operator (CPO) to offer e-roaming services.

The CPO manages, maintains, and operates charge points (charge stations), on the technical and administrative side. CPO is open to connecting to MSPs to offer roaming services.

The e-mobility service provider ensures charge point location information.

The eMSP influences smart charging sessions depending on extra sources of information.

The purpose of a roaming hub is to facilitate information exchange between market players. In this division Open Charge Point Interface supports:

Roaming via hub - OCPI facilitates data exchange between eMSPs and CPOs via hubs, for this operation, the protocol offers a separate hub supporting module.

Roaming peer-to-peer (p2p) - Both eMobility Service Providers and Charge Point Operators can correlate immediately via OCPI. Separate interfaces are designed for eMSPs and CPOs.

Authorization - The token module in the OCPI architecture supplies Charge Point Operators with the knowledge of any token information of eMSP. There are two ways to execute authorization, which could be real-time or via a whitelist.

Reservation - On the eMSP side, the OCPI offers to make and cancel a reservation.

Billing - OCPI supports the basis for invoicing - sending CDRs - Charge Detail Records.

Tariff information - The protocol supports the exchange of the key details related to energy tariffs. Complex tariff calculations depend on the time charged and energy. All this information is included in the tariff module.

Static charge point information - This covers: IDs, CPOs, charge point site, host, charge point name, charge point location details (name, address, geocode, type, image, platform level, directions), nearby facilities, link to a website, time zone, opening times, current availability status, scheduled availability status, accessibility, tariffs, authorization modes, payment methods, terms and conditions, charge mode, connector type, maximum power, voltage, amperage, energy mix, remote start/stop, reservation, smart charging support, and the last update mark.

Real-time charge point information - Stats: available, blocked, charging, inoperative, out of order, planned, removed, and reserved.

Session information (real-time & static) - Covers: sessions ID, start time, end time, energy consumed, CDR ID, authorization method, location, charge point ID, meter ID, currency, charging periods, total cost, sessions status, and last update. The same information can also be in real-time.

CDR information - CDR IDs, time, duration, finish status, and more.

Callibration law (Eichrecht) support - OCPI maintains the exchange of signed meter data which can be used to conform to Eichrecht - German calibration law.

Remote start/stop - The start and stop of any charging session can be done remotely via the eMSP app.

Smart charging - Several charging profiles are supported by OCPI: the cheapest charging, the fastest charging, the most environmentally-friendly charging, or no particular choices. The preferences can be registered per session by the user. The CPO can accept or decline the option. Although the smart charging profile module does provide certain options, these cannot be ensured, since other factors influence the charging session.

OCPI’s ultimate goal is to allow any EV driver to charge at any charging station in the EU. In fact, the protocol is used intensively throughout Europe (Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Austria, Poland), but not limited. It also gains recognition, among others, in the USA, Canada, South Africa, and India. The protocol is gaining acceptance in ever-widening circles and the number of countries is steadily increasing.

OCHP - Open Clearing House Protocol and OCHPDirect

OCHP is the second protocol that offers a hub or p2p connection. Integration with hubs is done via OCHP, and the direct peer-to-peer connection is possible with OCHPDirect. The solution is maintained and expanded by Smartlab Innovationsgesellschaft GmbH

and ElaadNL (ElaadNL also supports aforementioned OCPI), organizations established by German and Dutch entities. OCHP is used by the roaming hub e-clearing.net (e-clearing.net also offers connectivity via mentioned above OCPI) operated by Smartlab and owned by Smartlab and ElaadNL. As a not-for-profit platform, the main interest of e-clearing.net is to develop the e-mobility market. Both available current versions OCHP v1.4 and OCHPDirect v0.2.6 were released in August 2016 (In October 2020 OCHP introduced to members the newest update 1.5, but no further public information was provided, the valid version remains 1.4).

The OCHP documentation is free to download and does not demand registration. Thanks to the MIT license, the protocol allows for open distribution and alteration. The administration of the OCHP lies on the Smartlab/ElaadNL side, which has the remaining right to apply and execute edits to the protocol. Prior and complete implementation testing needs to be conducted before a participant gains access to the e-clearing.net roaming platform. To support a coherent development of the OCHP protocol each year developers collect user feedback.

The Open Clearing House Protocol is based on the SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) computer protocol. It largely relies on asynchronous communication (opposed to real-time communications, as for OCPI). For instance, e-clearing.net does not store transaction data. Instead of real-time authentication, OCHP forms lists of users who are allowed to authenticate. This approach allows avoiding a single point of failure (SPOF) - if the roaming hub breaks down, charging sessions remain active.

The OCHP protocol documentation describes the following market roles:

The EV user, that has a direct or indirect contract with an eMobility Service Provider, charges an EV at a charge point/charge station.

The eMSP grants access to charge points/charge stations to the EV owner. The eMSP provides the EV user access via an RFID card or certificates. The service is supported by CPOs. The CPO operates charge points and acts as a contract agent for the eMSP. Each charging session is settled between the eMSP and the CPO under agreed conditions.

The parking spot operator (PSO) owns and operates the parking spots with access to the charging infrastructure operated by the CPO. The PSO offers a parking spot where a charge point is located and can supply information on location and availability to the CPO.

The clearinghouse operator (hub operator), runs a software platform to enable data exchange between MSPs, CPOs, and NSPs*.

*The documentation of OCHP protocol also distinguishes the role of the Navigation Service Provider (NSP), similar or equivalent to the role of Charge Point Operator. It applies to service towards the EV user for searching, locating, and routing to charge points. The party may have contracts with CPOs or MSPs.

Roaming via hub - Hub’s roaming platform connects the associated partners. OCHP is used by the roaming hub e-clearing.net, but the documentation does not specify if the roaming hub should necessarily be run by e-clearing.net.

Authorization - EV owners are recognized by tokens. The eMSP supplies a list with contract IDs of registered EV users to the hub, that can later be downloaded by CPOs. If an EV is charged at a CPO, the operator’s system checks the ID against the roaming authorization list downloaded from the roaming hub.

Billing - Charge detail records (CDRs) collect charge data, hence CDRs describe the billing. The CPO exports the CDRs to the roaming hub. The hub performs a basic plausibility check. Correct CDRs are forwarded to the eMSP. In case the CDRs fail the validation of reliability check, are sent back to the CPO for the fixing. Besides, the roaming hub also archives CDRs.

Static charge point information - OCHP can be applied to show the charge point ID, CPO, charge point site owner, charge point location (name, address, geocode, type, image), nearby facilitates, link to a website, time zone, current status, scheduled availability status, accessibility, tariffs, authorization forms, payment options, charge mode, connector type, maximum power, guaranteed power, voltage, support phone number, reservation possibility, the maximum time for the reservation, languages of the interface, user feedback form, and the time of the last update. Besides, the tariff model can handle complex advanced tariff schemes based on time of the day, date, charged energy, charging speed, and duration based on input from CPO. The CPO supplies static charge point information to the roaming hub, which can be then processed and transferred to contracted EV owners by eMSP.

Real-time charge point information - OCHP provides the current status of a charge point (available, reserved, occupied, blocked, out of order, unknown). OCHP divides real-time from static data. The dynamic data is stored in a separate database, dedicated to this kind of access. Real-time charge point information is sent to the roaming hub, then is transferred to the signed users of an eMSP.

Session information - refers to CDR ID, charge point ID, token ID, contract ID, CDR status, start time, end time, duration, charge point address, charge point type, connector type, tariffs, meter ID, total cost, and currency.

Remote start/stop - Charging sessions can be controlled via an eMSP app.


The OCHPDirect (dedicated for p2p connections) supports the following functionalities:

Roaming peer-to-peer - Achieving e-roaming is possible without a connection with a hub.

Authorization - Charging sessions can be controlled via an eMSP app.

Real-time sessions information - Start of a charging session, end of a charging session, metering information, power management information, handy invoicing.

Remote start/stop - The charging process can be controlled when stationary started via the eMSP application.

E-clearing.net, unlike commercially orientated hubs, is an open platform that facilitates the exchange of roaming authorization, charge transaction, and charge point information data (all transactions are free). At the moment, e-clearing.net requires only a fee for joining the platform.


Why apply at least one open standard? To save time and open your network to a larger number of users, increase opportunities and reap profits. Or, in other words, applying open EV roaming charging software protects against being excluded from the market. Both, Open Charge Point Interface and Open Clearing House Protocol & OCHPDirect are classified as stable, reliable, and secure solutions. The growing number of countries that support the development and promotion of both solutions indicate openness, independence, and royalty-freedom. Open and modern approach contributes to fast penetration and enthusiastic approval. Many countries are in the early phase of charging infrastructure development. Open standards are meant to facilitate rapid growth and ensure up-to-date functionality.

OCPI and OCHP support installing a public open charging network

Open Charge Point Interface and Open Clearing House Protocol are developed and supervised by non-commercial organizations. Demand for roaming includes cross-border connectivity. The future of the open network will largely depend on the willingness of partners to collaborate and regulatory guidance. For instance, some countries already established conditions for operation on the domestic market. Slovakia requires new parties within three months of the commissioning of the recharging points, to be connected to any roaming platform that connects more than 80 operators. In Norway, Oslo authorities formed an open policy for sharing with third parties. Berlin expects every Charge Point Operator operating a recharging point in the public domain to register it in a central authentication platform managed by the city, offering access to the customers of each eMobility Service Provider under comparable conditions. To meet the conditions, it is necessary to open a network. Following the 2050 EU strategy, soon it might be mandatory to provide seamless connection on large networks in the Union.

Two actively supported independent open standards for EV roaming. Discover cross-border e-mobility standards for accessible charging network.

EV roaming with open standards - OCPI and OCHP 

5 leading in EV sales countries in Europe and factors influencing the plug-in popularity

Magdalena Betlińska

Depending on where you live, an electric vehicle passing you on the street may either be an unusual view or something so common that you no longer pay attention to it. Although EVs still tend to arouse some controversy, the mass adoption and general uptake can be widely observed. Recent sales figures firmly back up the thesis about the future of transportation being green.

Despite the global economic downfall brought about by the challenges of 2020, the electric automotive market stayed unbothered and, what’s more, grew even stronger. EV global market share increased from 2,5 % in 2019 to 4,2 % in 2020. Given the difficult circumstances, this is a giant leap forward and a very bright ray of hope for the future. While nearly 14% less light combustion engine vehicles were sold, the electric automotive market itself noted a ground-breaking 43% increase. For the first time in years Europe has also superseded China in sales figures and with nearly 1,4 million BEVs and PHEVs registered (137 % more than a year prior), the Old Continent secured the position of a major player in the eMobility world. This can be mirrored in recent big-cheese brands’ actions. Kicked off by Ford Motor Company and their ambitious plan to go fully electric in Europe by 2030, with Jaguar Land Rover and Volvo Group joining the pioneering venture and recent FedEx following in their footsteps and announcing a mandate to reduce the carbon footprint to zero by 2040, the future of transportation seems greener than ever.

A shining beacon of hope can also be observed in forecasts, as most of them anticipate continuing falls in battery prices. According to BloombergNEF’s data, battery cost noted an unprecedented decrease of 89% and is projected to go even lower. This is likely to bring the EV’s prices to a level comparable with the prices of gasoline vehicles and put a stop to controversies surrounding the costs of electric cars. All these factors leave no doubts that mass adoption of electric vehicles is on the verge of reaching a tipping point. In fact, in some countries the barrier has already been broken.

Top EV Selling Countries in Europe in 2020

According to data from industry trackers, the top 5 EV selling countries in 2020 in Europe were:

Having the primacy of the rest of Europe, the above countries all noted plug-in electric vehicles share in sales above 18%. Leading the way, Norway marked a whooping 74.8% in EV sales, leaving the rest behind. Although Germany has not made it to the Big5, it’s worth mentioning that in terms of EVs on the roads it’s the second biggest market after China with 1 out of 8 global plugin sales taking place.

However, even if all those figures look extremely promising, we must remember that high-volume sales in the aforementioned countries are heavily incentivized by various governmental policies and facilitations. Many of which cannot be easily transferred to other states.

Why is e-mobility so popular in those countries?

The impressive figures and advanced, ever-increasing development surely leaves lots of questions. What powered the enlarged demand for EVs? Why do some countries keep on falling behind with mass adoption? Why are there so many differences in sales rates in various parts of the world? What can be done to even out the numbers of electric vehicles on the world’s roads?

This is where things get complicated. Success of eMobility in scandinavian countries, particularly in Norway, is strictly dependent on far-going governmental actions and various policies. Norway started implementing them back in the 1990s and they have evolved ever since. Amongst the most significant facilitations, there are:

Parking fee for EVs was introduced locally with an upper limit of a maximum 50% of the full price

Although, these all look like pretty straightforward and easy-to-implement policies, things get a bit more complex. It has to be mentioned, that Norway’s vehicle import duties and car registration taxes tend to be very high (one of the most expensive in Europe) and waving them off specifically for EVs, make them very attractive for potential buyers. Another notice-worthy factor is that Norway’s median household income (after tax) is around $54000, which is twice as high as the European average. This leaves Norwegians with a lot more consumption’s possibilities.

Similar policies are implemented in other top selling countries, which clearly explains as to why some tend to sell so many EVs. In Iceland, there are also incentives offered to charge point operators, who are well supported in terms of developing the charging infrastructure. In Stockholm, Sweden, owners of electric cars, who subscribe to parking space, are offered with free charging. Swedish facilitations are also projected to get only more advanced, as the government set the goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2045. The Netherlands offer a subsidy of $4000 for first EV buyers.

Another game-changing aspect is undoubtedly the infrastructure. It’s one of the cases where demand can be created via market design. In 2019, 26% of European charging stations were located in the Netherlands. Accessibility to a well-structured, effective charging network in many cases plays even more vital role than any financially-oriented incentive. This certainly applies to both, accessibility and the number of charging stations available. Part of the major success behind infrastructure in top selling countries is that they all have normalized the distribution of charging points in the big cities (that is: dedicated for charging spots on parking lots or buildings’ infrastructure inclusive of charging stations i.e. the possibility of charging a car while being at work, as well as facilities for people who live in blocks of flats) as well as stations in less densely-inhabited areas allowing for a longer car rides across the country. Such solutions, apart from making it easy for EV owners to maintain their vehicles, play a huge role in getting other people familiar with the concept of e-mobility.

Well-developed infrastructure also drives the growth of open standards. ElaadNL and Nederland Kennisplatform Laadinfrastrutuur (NKL) are two major platforms for public charge infrastructure in the Netherlands, which help significantly in the seamless maintenance of an EV.

All these factors are heavily dependent on the financial state of the country, its development goals and the advancements in infrastructure and cannot be easily transferred across the globe. Technological solutions, education, environment awareness and the average household income play a huge role in the shaping of eMobility popularity. This, however, does not change the fact that there is hope for everyone.

E-mobility lessons to learn from top selling countries

It goes without saying, that certain practises cannot be widely copied everywhere. However, there is a number of actions that can be slowly but surely taken in order to drive the uptake of electric vehicles in many cities. It all starts with some solid steps taken by authorities. Undoubtedly, some incentives need to be presented to get more and more people to shift from their combustion-engine vehicles to electric ones.

It all starts with some solid steps taken by authorities. Undoubtedly, some incentives need to be presented to get more and more people to shift from their combustion-engine vehicles to electric ones. Kicking it off with investing in electric public transport, may come in handy here. Large amounts of funds are spent on mass transit yearly, allocating these money into emobility solutions may be a first firm step towards an electric future. Such actions would also reinforce major ameliorations on charging networks and infrastructure. Namely, an increased amount of electric vehicles (here: public transport ones i.e. buses) would result in a higher demand for charging stations. This in turn, not only would improve the infrastructure but also would allow local emobility-handling companies to spread their wings and possibly search and find more and more innovative solutions. Surely, this would also contribute to the growth of locally-based open platforms, enabling more people seamless use of the charging infrastructure.

It would be also recommended that undertaken actions go beyond local authorities, all the way to national governments. As much as mirroring Norway’s policies might be impossible in most of the other countries, some practises, especially in terms of parking discounts or some tax reductions, should be implemented. This also applies to paying more attention to the proper education in terms of sustainability and eco-friendly approach. Youngsters should be taught on the importance of environmentally-oriented options as this may heavily influence their future choices.

Although the transition to all-electric cars will certainly take some time, with a solid focus in mind and some work, the future of transportation may turn green sooner than it was initially expected.

5 leading in EV sales countries in Europe and factors influencing their popularity. Learn more about e-mobility strategies.

Top 5 e-mobility countries - what we can learn?

Pros and cons of custom and ready-made charging software

. Wandering through the web of available options, as it is the same for any software, you face the challenge: will the ready-made solution meet your expectations, or maybe it is worth investing in an individual solution that covers 100% of your business needs? Trust me, you are not alone. Having heard this dilemma repeatedly I’ve decided to gather critical thoughts on both sides and present the outcomes.


Stating with some brief basic explanation - Charge Point Operator can be defined as an owner or administrator of charging hardware and software. With a market booming and demanding infrastructure, IT providers offer off-the-shelf solutions.

What are the benefits of a custom CPO platform?

A custom solution is especially beneficial for operators who want to keep the processes 100% up to specific demands. The backend management system for Charge Point Operators is what sets the business on a path to success. The whole charging network demands a properly tailored solution that adequately covers business relations and dependencies. Specifically, in the e-mobility world, supportive backend software should embody device management, business insight, and customer relationship management.

 is a tool for monitoring and managing emerging issues promptly and efficiently. In addition to real-time alerts, it also allows framing price schemes.

provides a transparent glimpse into key metrics on how the charging network is performing. The insights should be given at a fixed frequency and the dashboard should be flexible enough to support deep and extensive business intelligence.

The customer* relationship management module

 stores users’ data, billing information, and contracts.* Here pointing out ‘customer’ we have in mind, eMobility Service Providers.

With customization comes independence. The e-mobility market evolves steadily, hence the charging network needs to follow the novelties and recent updates. Setting focus on what the future can bring, how the trends evolve, and which standards to follow will ease interoperability and scalability. Being self-reliant allows faster implementation of new features, 

 The backend system should provide accurate information in the BI area, consumer behavior and preferences, as well as malfunctions and enable remote repairs. This applies to the basic approach but forward-thinking resonates with more advanced supplements.

The essence of the EV charging business must be met and this is what off-the-shelf software suppliers offer. However, the goal is to develop standards of work and find repetitive behaviors. Based on that, the processes can be adjusted and refined for future changes. The custom approach puts the company one step ahead, ensures better responsiveness, explores specific niches thus finding ways to exploit new opportunities. The e-mobility market reaches a point where multiple operators offer the same or similar services. Further steps towards establishing a pole position, are detailed segmentation and prompt meeting particular divisions' needs.

One of the advantages of a custom solution is access to and control over the source code. This means the upgrades and new deployments are set and prioritized by the owner. Taking a step further, a strong point for which it is good to choose a custom solution is a case when a company intends to do something unique and addresses some existing problem with one and only innovation. Then the chance that it will be covered by some ready-made solution is very low - so it needs to be customized. If there are some patented resolutions, then these certainly will not fit into a ready-made solution.

What are the cons of a custom CPO platform?

The matter of the cost of developing a custom solution depends on the scale. Operating on a relatively small market or having a limited number of charge points will not necessarily require custom software. If so, a ready-made solution will cover our needs and work well. However, if the business assumptions reach forward, addressing the needs of a particular niche or out-of-the-box explications, here customization will be vital.

Besides the cost of a tailor-made solution, the other con is timing. The individual approach requires careful evaluation. This incorporates the whole development process, with a discovery phase, technical clarification, usability design, iterative product development, and further support. Matching technology with business goals and flexible product design to incorporate required changes on-demand fast and seamlessly. Whether it’s eMSP or CPO platform, 

 requires time and commitment from business and IT representatives. Although the initial outlay is large, this approach allows you to identify pain points at an early stage, hence better estimate time and effort, and thus avoid unnecessary expenditures.

Off-the-shelf CPO platform strengths and limitations

Operating on a general course could be successfully supported by vendor-dependent software. These solutions usually cover ongoing common market demands. When working on a relatively small scale, it may perform well. So, the question is ‘Do I really need a custom solution?’. As an alternative, you can acquire an off-the-shelf product. The arguments in favor of purchasing a ready-made solution are faster implementation, lower up-front costs, and your business needs are considered as regular (don't include much specific or novel). In this case, off-the-shelf software will remain more cost-efficient for your business. Usually, ready-made software is the best choice for small business that needs budget resolution.

The difference lies in the vendor’s business goals. The speed of change for upgrades and security updates is affected by the business case and objectives set by the supplier. A question here is whether our needs will be a key priority while obtaining a steady product line. Usually, the ready-made solutions providers are familiar with common issues and offer a broad range of features and modules to cover market requirements. However, some of the offered specialties might be unnecessary for our business case, we still have to pay for them.

Providers supply crucial overview for general purposes. Most of the offered white-labeled CPO platforms offer a dashboard for monitoring stations’ condition, notifications about malfunctions, statistics and insights into charging courses and tariff revenue, transaction reporting, insights into driver behavior and expenses. In their respective limitations, pre-built software vendors supply fine analytics-powered platforms for business accounts. This enables monitoring and optimizing EV charging infrastructure, e.g. identifying charging trends. Access to historical data enables informed decision-making. With some sort of customization, off-the-shelf products also offer to create brand recognition. For the aspiring player or with limited funds, implementing a turnkey solution may be a great starting point.

However, becoming a vendor-locked-in also may cause future turbulences in the matter of transition. This should be kept in mind. The aforementioned applies to charging providers willing to switch in the future to another software. When reaching the decision, to change the provider or switch to a tailored solution, may cause turbulences (unless integration is done through open standards, but even that's not always enough). Still, limiting opportunities will not be an obstacle in every situation.

The individual case to take into consideration is whether the vendor company stock performs well. It is worth checking out if the long-term business partnership is going to execute adequately. Long-term stability will depend on the number of customers and the level of satisfaction. In the dynamic market, staying up-to-date is one of the key factors of success. Being trapped on an obsolete version that no longer responds to market and business needs will quickly generate a loss. Make sure your partner sets the right focus and follows market demands and recent updates.

At this point, my recommendation is to take some time to define and evaluate your business goals. Finding answers to the nagging questions - how do we want to operate, what are our expectations and what do we want to achieve over the first year of existence and the next five years. Add the unknowns - predictions of how the market may evolve and what the expectations of partners and users are. This will help plan the resources and reveal potential areas of focus. Perhaps an additional niche will be discovered that is worth developing. The e-mobility market is 

 and now is a good time for a profound analysis. Some answers can be provided by open standards development organizations. Be familiar with OCPP, OICP, and OCPI standards. Follow the recent trends and updates to make sure you respond to market requirements accurately. This will help you scale fast. Besides, don’t forget about your defined personas, final recipients of your service. Whether it’s off-the-shelf or custom-made, it won't work if we don't 

 to user requirements. Letting ourselves off the hook will quickly put us out of business. If having difficulties recognizing your needs, don’t hesitate to leave a message. We’ll gladly help!


Psst! On the right drop your email address to get useful CPO platform requirements.

Pros and cons of ready-made and a custom Charge Point Operator platform. Click to learn more.

Custom Charge Point Operator platform - pros and cons

Anchor points on becoming Charge Point Operator. Click to learn more.

Paweł Małkowiak

The e-mobility market is booming but still enigmatic in terms of processes between market participants or taken roles and available standards. In general, we can distinguish two sides of the charging ecosystem - being on the user-side eMobility Service Providers and Charge Point Operators providing devices and software to manage the infrastructure. In this piece, we address the part of the market responsible for deploying and managing charging points (also called charging stations).

Charge Point Operator or Charging Station Operator is responsible for providing, managing, and setting the charging infrastructure for the e-mobility industry. A CPO business operates a network of charging points - the hardware devices and future-oriented software. The value lies in connecting smart charging equipment with eMobility Service Providers. A CPO assures the network works seamlessly. This includes diagnostics, maintenance, price setting, and Point of interest (POI) data management.

On the operators' side is to provide available, steady, and 24/7 functioning EV chargers. Managing systems need to real-time report any malfunction that occurs with the device. And if possible, automatically fix it.

The matter of real-time also applies to software platforms. Necessary information delivery for adequate decision-making will help to shape operations, business, and technical statistics analysis. Even when the service does not assume the large scale, automation is the core in reducing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Automated processes should hassle-freely handle transactional and technical concerns without engaging employees.

Charging Stations require sufficient energy supply and distribution. Smart management during peak hours, involving renewables and storing battery power, reduces capital and operating costs. Identifying areas for cost optimization and investigating user’s expectations will help balance business processes. This market will continue to grow, for now, with a focus on segmentation, preferences, and habits, the hidden (greener) Holy Grail is possibly up to grasp.

How does the Charge Point Operator platform work?

First, we need to explain that an Operator’s role range may vary. In some cases, CPO owns the infrastructure, provides connectivity, and can supply only one side of the ecosystem. Some of the CPOs act like 

 . Since it’s a mutual interest, they offer other eMSPs access to the charging infrastructure.

To explain the charging ecosystem’s general flow, let’s place CPO as a separate service - hardware and software provider. In this scenario, CPO exposes access to the charging network and relies on eMSPs.

CPO exposes charging network with tailored API. In this scenario, each new linking with a partner follows the provided documentation and matches eMSPs API. This approach is time-consuming and limiting in terms of fast integration and scaling. Via custom API, we link two models and two teams working separately. The matter lies in the charging options provided, and the service eMSP wants to offer. The integration via custom API takes months. Assuming that each operator offers only integration via its API, connecting with each requires substantial resources and time.

However, there are two faster ways to connect and open the charging network.

 follow the general principle in the e-mobility world, providing an open and accessible network to EV drivers. Charge Point Operator can expose charging network to any eMSP in a standardized way, enabling faster integration and scaling. With Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI), managed by 

 , the linking between partners can be done within several days. Open Standards, besides, provide transparent information to consumers about charging locations and prices. Moreover, they are developed and updated by a strong community 

following technical innovations and market requirements

 . Also, as a part of the ultimate goal, Open Standards are free to use. By simplifying, standardizing, and harmonizing charging networks, standards are an integral part of rapid e-mobility growth.

With one contract owned Charging Stations become exposed to thousands of new users and eMobility Service Providers. Thanks to the Open Intercharge Protocol (OICP), integration with a hub like GIREVE or Hubject opens the broadest spectrum of possibilities. E-roaming networks are the desired state of EV charging cross-border arrangement.

Being integrated with a hub does not limit the other possibilities. Charge Point Operator’s platform can be exposed at the same time to the hub, and eMobility Service Provider via the most commonly applied (and supported) OCPI standard.

What are the Charge Point Operator platform’s features?

At the most basic level, every Charge Point Operator platform should provide via admin panel pricing, reporting and billing solution, remote charging stations management, and smart energy management.

The comprehensive backend system allows CPO to 

 for the charging session. Rates can be modeled and verified at the admin panel. The charging session’s price can be specified on the total charged kilowatt-hours, the duration, or a blend of other circumstances (additional parking fee, time & day of the week). The B2B contract between CPO and eMSP includes all tariffs and is invoiced at the end of the billing period. The price that is exposed to the final user (EV owner) depends on the individual eMSP price management system.

, CPOs should easily handle all station-related administration and control tasks. The admin panel should provide a view of the billing history, modify charging prices, remote management of chargers, and with advanced automation resolve common issues.

 allows to reduce the risks of the station and network overload, ensure EVs are charged securely and economically optimized. The highest charging switch can be limited from the admin panel. For example, developing a feature for dynamic load management (DLM) allows setting maximum capacity for several charging points and diffuses the load within the single one.

How can Charge Point Operators optimize their business?

Focus on operational advantage, staying up-to-date with the most recent protocols’ releases, smart energy administration, monitoring, and analyzing will provide excellent scalability and interoperability. The reliable charging infrastructure management system, easy to maintain and open for eMSPs boosts network scaling and ROI. In turn, an e-roaming platform exposes charge points in the fastest and most efficient way. Fortunately, one approach does not eliminate the possibility of benefiting from the other. However, responsibility for the maintenance of charging points remains on the CPO's side. Automation and the ability to make quick, ideally remote fixes, responsiveness will have a significant role in the prosperity of one's performance.

Direct and indirect recipients of CPO services depend on the availability of the entire operational infrastructure. This includes real-time hardware monitoring to identify and fix malfunctions before the beneficiary - or even the CPO - is aware of them. Automated maintenance reduces costs of in-field technical repairs.

It’s good to make sure the CPO platform offers smart energy management control. The entire energy flow across the EV charging system secures energy that is delivered at the right time to the right stock at the lowest cost.

The ability to scale is critical to keep up with the booming growth of the EV market. It’s not just about placing devices in an accessible locality but also about providing back-end infrastructure ready to connect with new partners and render the service.

For long-term operations, interoperability will be essential. On the CPO side lies the responsibility for delivering the 

 , allowing easy integration of any charger. Compatibility with protocols and standards like OCPP, OCPI, OICP secures smooth backend operations’ communications.

When considering investing in Charging Infrastructure, the above issues are worth verifying whether the available solutions on the market meet our expectations. Depending on the scale of the planned activity, our needs will differ.

How to efficiently manage interoperability?

Charge Point Operators are the foundation of the eMobility growth. Analyzing and improving EV charging operations leads to better decision-making. In consequence, it maximizes business profits and eliminates unnecessary costs ensuring the best EV charging experience. Regarding investments, this varies based on which market we plan to operate in. Both governmental plans and local units support the development of charging networks. Thus it is worth spending time and finding out what are the possibilities and criteria for obtaining subsidies. The shape of the budget may be subject to modification, and new approaches may arise.

Let’s read our posts

EV roaming with open standards - OICP and eMIP

Recommended

Unlocking eMobility platform using Open Standards - #OCPI use case

Oracle Cloud vs. AWS - Which one should you choose for your business?

OICP and OCIP protocols - open standards for CPOs and eMSPs

EV roaming with open standards - OCPI and OCHP

Top 5 e-mobility countries - what we can learn?

Custom Charge Point Operator platform - pros and cons

How to become Charge Point Operator and manage the CPO platform?

eMSP planning and development

OCPP migration