Learn about the P3 Charging Index and how it may affect the data behind charging features.

Being an eMobility leader in various projects across multiple startups, Piotr was responsible for OCPI and OCPP integration as well as EMP and CPO platforms development. With extensive expertise in the open standards field and eMobility tech solutions, he is leading teams of experienced developers and contributing with invaluable knowledge and experience.

Piotr Majcher

What is P3 index and what it means for e-mobility?

Range anxiety. It seems like this term is by now known to the entire e-mobility industry and generates lots of debates around the topic. To no surprise, this is in fact a big factor slowing down the mass adoption of EVs around the world, especially in countries where charging infrastructure falls behind.

Knowing the significance behind the matter, automakers race to launch electric cars suitable for long-distance journeys with a very high charging possibility that’s fit for super fast charging (100kW and more). As much as it looks extremely attractive on paper, the actual, everyday charging capacity often differs massively from the promised maximum, making it not the best point of comparison for many confused first-time buyers.

The truth behind maximum charging capacity

There are few points to consider when speaking about EVs’ charging procedure. Maximum capacity, although willingly promoted by automakers, might be confusing for inexperienced drivers, who would think that i.e. 100kW super fast charging will be a round-the-clock occurrence anytime they plug their vehicle in. We must take into account that the maximum capacity may only be reached under ideal conditions which are usually nowhere to be found while everyday EV utilization. Amongst the factors heavily impacting the charge speed are temperature, state of charge (SoC), the type/brand of the charging point, age of the vehicle, very low battery level and many more.

It’s the “ideal” charging range, usually between 20% - 80% of the total battery capacity. The lower limit comes from drivers' behavior, as they want to avoid running out of range and will start recharging sooner than necessary. Once most cars have reached around 80%, then charging times dramatically slow down as there's less power available for use within the engine itself. This distorts the charging speed and makes the given maximum capacity not usually a decent point of comparison. To make sense out of these reports and differentiations for an average consumer, many now indicate both numbers: their maximum potential as well as what most drivers will actually experience in daily use.

However, there is still a lack of unified figures that would allow for a cohesive comparison between numerous brands on the market.

P3 Group - consulting and engineering agency - has created a calculation that aims to standardize the average charging capacity that can reflect the real-time charging from the user’s perspective. The P3 Index “defines the charging speed of vehicles and leads to a significantly higher comparability and therefore to more transparency regarding the real suitability for everyday use of electric vehicles on long distances” as we read on their page.

If widely adopted, such standardization could significantly improve the transparency of charging procedures across various brands and types.

In simple words, if an EV reaches an index of 1.0, in practice the vehicle would be able to charge a range of 300 km in only 20 minutes.

What’s interesting, amongst available vehicles on the market, none has reached the 1.0 score, although some are fairly close. With Porsche Taycan leading the pack at 0.72, through VW. ID3 scoring 0.70, to Tesla Model 3, closing the big three with 0.66 P3 charging index value.

Why does the industry need such charging standardization?

The e-mobility market, as much as it’s blooming and growing at a very rapid pace, still requires lots of work put in. Especially in terms of unification and ratification of widely approved standards. This is beyond important from the user perspective as one of the main factors slowing down the mass adoption (apart from undeveloped charging infrastructure) is the confusion of first-time buyers who often resign from the idea of getting an EV due to the lack of unified knowledge. The question of how fast the vehicle charges and what is the charging range is naturally one of the first that comes to mind and not clearly stated information on it may discourage the end user from buying an EV.

In order to ensure that the future of electric mobility looks bright, transparency, clearly presented data and standards open for everyone should be the primary focus. In such cases, initiatives like P3 Charging Index may turn out to be the determining factor pushing the mass adoption forward.

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Ebook - The Growing concept of e-Mobility

Discover the differences between open and closed charging networks and their advantages.

The world of electric vehicles is ever changing with the introduction of new models and advancements in technology. One thing that hasn't changed however, is how you charge your vehicle once it's out of juice. Charging infrastructure has been and is one of the biggest challenges of the entire industry. Range anxiety in many instances is the main reason as to why people fear purchasing an electric car or deploying a fleet.

Being a very complex undertaking, charging networks and their utilization possibilities are shaped by many different factors. One of them would be the type of networks.

There are two types of charging stations: open and closed. Many would find it difficult to grasp the hold of the differences between them and yet, there is a fairly simple analogy that perfectly describes what it is all about. Namely, in order to fully understand the contrast between them, we can think about Android and iOS systems.

Open charging networks allow for standard communications to be used, so it is easy and efficient. This means that charging station owners can connect to more than one open network without needing any upgrades or changes in hardware since they are all compatible with the same standards-based networking providers. Open networks make it easier for drivers who prefer using their own programs or pay directly at any time without having an account on one specific network. It's much like using a phone with an Android system - you do not have to search for specific chargers or apps as there is a wide standardization allowing users to use various different types as they are all unified.

With the closed network, e-mobility service providers do not have to comply with open standards and can instead set up their stations using proprietary technology. This means that they are able to limit which networks customers can connect to as well as where a car will be allowed to stop for a charge. Within this system it is a bit easier for e-mobility service providers to control their costs, which can be a difficult task with open networks. Easy-to-understand analogy of what closed charging networks really are would be to compare them to the Apple company. iPhone producers heavily focus on making sure their devices are only compatible with their other products. Which means that with a closed charging network all electric cars have to use a specific charging connector - regardless of its manufacturer or battery size, resulting in limited flexibility for customers.

Why are there two types of charging networks?

The e-mobility industry is a very competitive space with many different companies fighting for the customer's business. One of the ways to succeed in this process and create an advantage over other competitors is by providing services that are tailored to their specific needs.

One would think that since range anxiety is one of the biggest issues within the e-mobility industry, open charging networks would work best to help mass EV adoption. So why do some tend to choose the closed ones?

Again, the aforementioned analogy to Apple vs Android might come in handy here. Since e-mobility service providers are all competing for the same customer base, they offer closed networks in order to limit which network their customers can access. This gives them a competitive edge over others by not having as many competitors available and it also allows e-mobility service providers to control costs.

EV charging station owners have a variety of options for how to monetize their products and services. The most popular option is through property owners as they pay both upfront costs for the stations and potentially recurring charges such as maintenance, network access or other small fees each time someone plugs in at your location. Drivers might also be able to purchase subscriptions which grant them use of specific networks on their own terms. Utilities companies are also interested in purchasing driver data from EV charger providers so that usage can help inform decisions about infrastructure needs going forward while car manufacturers may utilize these same provider's technology with some modification.

An e-mobility service provider might prefer using the closed charging network to make sure that they are not competing with other networks. Furthermore, it is easier for e-mobility providers to control their costs as opposed to open networks where drivers can connect and charge without having an account on a specific e-mobility service provider's network.

Surely both types of charging network have their pros and cons and it's a much more complicated issue than just money. Let's look at some of them.

One of the best parts about open standards-based charging networks is that drivers get to choose from a number of different hardware and network providers.. This allows e-mobility service providers to be rewarded with more customers who want their specific type of charging network.

The other advantage is that those e-mobility service providers are not limited in the amount of drivers they can have subscribed on any one network. Meaning there's an increased flexibility as for how many cars are available at any one given e-mobility service provider's charging stations.

In the e-mobility industry, open standards are preferred by drivers as they don't need to register or pay on an e-mobility network for them in order to be able to use it. Furthermore, e-mobility service providers need to comply with open standards which means that they can't limit where cars will be allowed to stop.

Proprietary networks allow them an opportunity to capitalize off of charging stations and give customers access with subscriptions that grant priority usage rights or provide rewards for driving electric vehicles over others; these closed networks also help prevent any other companies from using their services which might take away some of their customers.

Some people think that closed networks might mean higher quality services because no one else will be able to steal their customer base or tamper with security measures since it is isolated from other systems.

Not quite. As bizarre as it may sound there is more to charging than just... charging. Namely, at the second end of the cable there are also the energy suppliers.

The electric car market has been growing rapidly in recent years with no sign of slowing down but as it grows we have a responsibility to make sure the charge points don't overburden our current electricity grid system. To ensure e-mobility doesn't overextend, there are several steps that may be taken before things get out of hand: managing demand by monitoring usage; providing remote authorization through standard protocols like Open Charge Point protocol – OCPP; ensuring all chargers work together. For example, OCPP 2.0 can restrict power delivery to ensure the charging points match the power generation capacity of the grid.

So in fact, open charging networks, as much as not so appealing to some operators, may be the only option to ensure sustainable energy distribution once electric vehicles take over the automotive market.

Open vs closed charging networks - summary

Coming back to our previously mentioned analogy, much like with the situation of iOS vs Android, both networks will certainly find their sympathizers. It mostly depends on what is the main focus behind setting up charging stations. Those who wish to reach an audience as broad as possible, should definitely consider an open standards based network. Those who want to focus on securing an “independent” brand position and be in a full charge of costs will choose a closed network.

It seems, however, as though within the e-mobility industry experts, open standards are the ultimate way to go. Apart from increased flexibility in terms of charging equipment, open protocols ensure of staying up-to-date with newest technologies and solutions, they are also responsible for a seamless communication within the channel driver - charging point - grid.

An open, interconnected electric vehicle charging infrastructure would allow for a more dynamic and robust grid. The network of EV chargers could sync up with the pricing signals from utility companies to integrate renewable energy sources into power grids across America. This information sharing will help drivers quickly find available stations when they need them most while also streamlining payments via apps on their smartphones.

Open vs closed charging networks - what do you need to know?

Smart charging offers improved grid capabilities and conscious energy consumption. Learn more

 you can find information about the potential of charging stations and learn what smart charging is. In a nutshell, it applies to efficient communication between entities related to the consumption, supply and flow of energy. The software behind the platform automatically analyzes and visualizes a mass of data in real-time. One of the uses is for automatic decisions about how and when EVs are charged. Efficient energy management can be used to monitor how an electric car is being charged, among other things, but over time it will become an essential feature of any system that wants to work both economically and cooperatively. It is anticipated that as more and more EVs emerge, the load on the electrical grid will require a well-tailored communication system and the implementation of protocols responsible for smart charging.


What is the difference between smart charging and bi-directional charging?

Bi-directional charging can refer to vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging. This could also apply to the terms like vehicle-to-home (V2H), or vehicle-to-building (V2B). The feature is responsible not only for charging an EV but also can supply power back to the grid (or home). Effectively it enables to treat car battery as an extra source of charging power, storing energy that can be re-used.

Smart charging goes one step further, enables efficient communication between charge points and grid operators. All in order to manage charging points remotely and to optimize energy consumption and costs. By 2030 it is expected to have smart charging protocols developed and implemented, to avoid network overload. Smart charging allows EV owners, businesses, and network operators to control how much energy is taken from the grid and when. By balancing the load, it also offers to charge at lower rates, when the demand for energy is lower, e.g. at night.

How does bi-directional charging work in practice?

To charge an EV, one needs a charger to convert AC (alternating current) electricity sourced from the grid to DC (direct current) electricity. This happens via a built-in converter (either vehicle or in the charger). If the energy stored in the EV’s battery is to power home or sell it back to the grid, the DC electricity from the car must be converted again to AC electricity. This mechanism happens via bi-directional charging. The feature is already adapted in the US, UK, and EU. It is used to power houses, office buildings. How much power do we talk about? Nissan says the 62kWh battery in the Leaf e+ can store enough energy to power an average Japanese home for up to four days.

Do all vehicles support bi-directional charging?

No. A CHAdeMO protocol & charge port facilitates bi-directional charging, (e.g. Nissan Leaf is equipped with CHAdeMO). However, most vehicles use the Combined Charging System (CCS) standard right now. Existing models will probably require V2G integration as an aftermarket resolution. Many car manufacturers, such as BMW, Honda, Volkswagen, and Tesla, are considering introducing bi-directional features in their future electric vehicle models.

E.g. According to the information provided by Nissan, two-way charging does not have a damaging long-term influence on the battery because charging and discharging are less intense than driving. Bi-directional charging does not affect the producer's battery warranty as long as the charger used is approved for use by the manufacturer.

What are the most popular features of smart charging?

Among features smart charging provides, one can distinguish power sharing, power boost and dynamic power sharing. Each is relevant to the ecosystem and to individual actors.

 in 2020 by Cenex found that the common pattern for V2G of creating income through energy trading is only one of the opportunities. Other key value propositions highlighted are resilience, the benefits to society, enhanced battery management and self sufficiency.

 can be defined as load balancing or leveling. How does it work? Each site is limited when it comes to power access. Bigger demand for energy would mean electrical infrastructure upgrades. Smart charging allows avoiding these expenses. Network operators or sites with many chargers can divide the available energy capacity proportionally over all operating EV charging stations. Optimal distribution with smart charging helps to avoid costly expenses.

 prevents households from surpassing maximum energy capacity. Power Boost comes with help to the situation when electricity is consumed simultaneously on a high level by many devices. It balances the load dynamically among the charger and the rest of the devices. When reaching the highest capacity, a smart charging control system automatically reduces the power consumed by an EV. The case scenario even includes pausing the charging session till enough power is available again.

With Dynamic Power Sharing (DPS) a building’s energy demand is monitored and measured against its maximum admissible capacity. When demand is low, the spare available energy is transferred to the charging network. The smart charging system automatically covers the available power among all chargers. On the contrary, if the site energy demand is equal or larger than the maximum authorized rate, no power is supplied to the charging points. Smart management allows keeping in great balance the charging network’s demand.

To cover and support unified communication, Open Charge Alliance developed in 2015 Open Smart Charging Protocol (OSCP). An updated version was released in October 2020. The protocol was first designed for communicating a forecast of the locally available capacity to Charging Station Operators (CSO), to enable them to fit the charging profiles of the EVs within the boundaries of the available capacity. The new version specifies use cases in which the messages are applied in more universal terms, which was specifically aimed at smart charging of EV by a Distribution System Operator (DSO). Behind the use of generic terms is the specification not limiting the possibilities of the protocol to smart charging EVs. This is a top-down integration of EVs in larger energy ecosystems, including Photovoltaics (PV), stationary batteries, heat pumps and other devices. Based on JSON / REST, offers also additional types of forecasts (generation, consumption, fallback) and a message for reporting errors. The OSCP is available to download at the Open Charge Alliance 

As we see bigger demand for conscious energy consumption and distribution, features and smart charging protocols soon will become a necessity. The multi-level changes we are witnessing dictate sustainable and smart energy distribution. Open standards and dedicated protocols are essential for unified communications, and it is expected that soon implementation will be legally binding for market participants.

Smart charging offers improved grid capabilities and conscious energy consumption. Discover what technology offers today.

Smart charging features - innovative possibilities for efficient energy use

Discover smart use of time and energy for e-mobility

Paweł Baczyński

The basic approach of e-mobility charging infrastructure applies to the use of charging stations for EVs recharge. As a simplified model, it is to provide services for owners of electric cars. However, the use and the purpose of a formed sort of electric grid can go beyond. What are the possible and optimal charging infrastructure solutions? And what is the role of smart electric mobility in achieving sustainable growth?

Factors such as political, social and environmental, contribute to fast e-mobility growth, hence the charging points communication role changes. In the primarily applied charge ecosystem, the information exchange took place between eMobility Service Providers and Charge Point Operators, and Grid Operators. The relation varies depending on the business model applied. Time (or speed of charging) and location influence the user experience, and economic optimization.

Understanding EV Owners’ Preferences Towards Enrolling in Smart Charging Programs

 published in June 2020, shows that nearly 70% of respondents demonstrated a high interest in the EV purchase. Additionally, 56% of EV owners consider an EV to be their next vehicle purchase. The growing interest in EV ownership is driven by various incentives and policies. As of 2020, the growth in the share of new electric vehicles in the passenger vehicle market has accelerated remarkably. Especially in Europe, a +137% jump in electric car sales was recorded at the end of 2020.

The growing number of electric vehicles means there is a demand for a well-planned, flexible, and diverse network. At the same time, operators need to scale, provide the service and meet the expectations of EV owners. Following this, the network needs a guaranteed energy supply, especially when there is increased demand. Consequently, the entire system must be well communicated and engineered, to reconcile the peaks of energy demand with limited capacity.

Still, the mentioned ecosystem is not limited and with the growth new players and users will join. For instance, it’s worth mentioning environmental aspects and green energy supplies (and possibly storage). In an effort to meet challenges, the idea of an integrated architecture has been developed, which supports the efficient use of energy flows and optimum market service. All this in a unified communication system.

Global EV Outlook predicts that in 2030 in Europe, in the Stated Policies Scenario, the energy demand for EV fleets will grow by 4% (110 TWh). However, the Sustainable Policies Scenario predicts an increased energy demand for electric fleets - up to 6% (187TWh). High peaks are expected at evenings and nights, but in general, global energy demand will rise. To streamline the communication of key domains in the ecosystem (energy supplies, established and expanding charging network and e-mobility services), the information flow should run via an open protocol.

Higher energy demand at certain times means not only intensified production but also agile energy distribution. In a nutshell, Smart Charging enables intelligent management of the energy and how the electric vehicle is charged when connected to the grid.

Although higher demand for electricity is not expected to happen before 2030 (according to European Environment Agency’s predictions), still locally grids might be overloaded on high peaks. With efficient use of EVs and charging infrastructure, smart charging comes to help to provide greater network stability without unnecessary expenses.

EU directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency describes smart metering systems. The inclusion of smart charging sets top-down endorsement for the development of data exchange systems and in the future standardized and open communication. The use of smart charging implies connecting an EV to a charging device through a data connection, and the charging device to a charging operator through another data connection.

Smart Charging applies to ‘intelligent’ communication between the charging system, grid and a charged object (here particularly we have in mind an EV, but also this could apply to any chargeable item). Taking an EV as an example, the term ‘smart charging’ means the charging device is ‘communicating’ with the car, the charging operator and the service company links through data. Each time an EV is plugged in, the charger exchanges information to optimize charging.

So, via smart charging the charging service providers (this applies to smart home charging and charging network owners) can guide how much energy and at what cost and time to deliver to any plugged-in EV. Enhanced communication among market participants helps efficiently manage high peaks and energy demand. This helps properly manage time, money and energy.

Charging points with smart charging connect EV owners, roaming hubs, and operators. Each time an EV is plugged in, the charging point transfers information (e.g. charging time, speed) to a centralized administration system. Extra data may also be forwarded, e.g. information about the local grid’s potential and how energy is at the moment used at the charging section (house, office building, supermarket etc.). With smart charging management, grids can be in advance informed when the peaks are expected. How? Smart charging also enables scheduling the EV charging. On the one hand, the system is accurately informed as to what amount of energy will be needed at a specific time, on the other hand, the user can plug in the plug and the charging process itself can be programmed at a convenient time interval. This eliminates excess energy use, and the actual power consumption can be conducted at lower tariffs, hence the efficiency.

The stream of data is analyzed and visualized in real-time by the tailored software backing the administration platform. This enables operators to control and manage energy consumption and distribution. Here's a little trivia: some countries already legally mandate the use of smart charging to prevent excessive billing and to utilize electricity productively.

From Charge Point Operator to Smart Charge Point Operator

In the basic model, the charging session starts as soon as the EV is connected to the charging point and stops when the battery is fully charged. In the enhanced scenario, the Charging Service Provider turns into Smart Charging Service Provider. Thanks to a properly designed communication system, SCSP can receive information from the grid when there is a peak in energy production. The same applies to higher energy demands (e.g. nighttime home charging). The third segment is the EV drivers. The information flow delivers the set time when the EV is needed again. Depending on the time frame - If charging applies to the overnight schedule, the EV can be charged much more steadily. For the grid, this indicates more constant, lower power consumption if demand is huge, and higher power consumption if there is a production peak. This extra section, responsible for smart charging communication, ensures that power consumption control is high-performance and effective.

EV charging infrastructure is formed by eMobility Service Providers, Charge Point Operators and roaming hubs. The data exchange aims to provide EV drivers a trouble-free charging experience. Overall information is related to EV electricity consumption. The easiest and most practical way to implement smart charging seems to be open standard implementation. Open protocols aim to ease and scale e-mobility services and accelerate the EV charging market development. Recent versions of OCPI (2.2) and OCPP (2.0.1) support smart charging communication. Privately held OICP and eMIP protocols in charge point information exchange modules also include smart charging operations. In the near future, it might become mandatory to implement Smart Charging modules. Hence Charging Service Providers will become Smart Charging Service Providers connecting the local grid operators and, via the national grid operator, being able to communicate with the energy market.

What is the potential of charging stations?

Smart charging goes beyond just agile energy management. Some pilot programs already exist in which the car not only consumes energy but also delivers it back to the grid (Vehicle-to-grid, V2G). In this way, EVs can actually soak up peaks and troughs occurring on the grid instead of enhancing them. Power back to the grid forms an extra role for Smart Charging Service Provider (within the protocol) that is also valuable for the energy flow within the grid.

Intelligent building architecture takes into account the flow of energy consumption data. In both households and smart office buildings, Smart Charging Service Provider communication will help to utilize energy usage and match it accordingly. For the Charge Point Operators, this also provides additional information about energy use, which will help to ensure sustainable energy consumption. Charging stations with a smart layer can turn into a critical part of a new energy flow network, balancing the load, and providing crucial information to the whole system.

Such a grid-friendly smart module already exists on the German and Swiss markets. The Mobility House provides a grid-friendly feature of the charging processes to ensure a stable electricity supply during a huge energy transition (“Energiewende”). Smart energy management reduces electricity costs, and as the TMH states, it’s due to lower grid fees. In numbers, the savings reach from 60 to 120 euros per year and per charging point, from reduced grid usage fees. Besides, Swiss users show growing demand for controlled charging processes.

Notifications, when charging can be done at a lower rate using renewable energy, are encouraging. By forming a benefit system providers can gather a greater audience. The efficient use of charging stations with smart charging is not limited. The e-mobility market is constantly evolving towards optimal use of time and resources. Efficient energy flow means reducing power spikes and pits, even up to 50%. Additionally, enhanced communication between stations and the network, as well as between partners, enables better grid management and the entire efficiency of the e-mobility system.

How to get more out of electromobility? Discover smart use of time and energy for e-mobility.

What is P3 index and what it means for e-mobility?

31 AUGUST 2021 • 5 MIN READ