ISO 15118 Standard: What It Is and How It Works?

ISO 15118 is a standard for communication and interoperability between EV and charging stations. Learn about ISO15118 here

ISO 15118 is a standard that facilitates communication between electric vehicles (EVs) and charging stations, enabling interoperability across different EV and charging systems. It ensures secure communication, authentication, billing, and other functions. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), a non-governmental organization, develops and maintains this standard, ensuring it meets international criteria.

History

The development of ISO15118 began in the early 2010s, as the market for EVs and charging infrastructure began to grow. The standard enables a standardized, interoperable system for communication between EVs and charging stations.

ISO 15118 was first published in 2013. The most recent version, ISO 15118-20:2022, came out in 2022.

New Capabilities

Some of the capabilities that this standard adds include:

  • Secure communication: ISO15118 includes provisions for secure communication between the EV and the charging station. This can help protect against unauthorized access or tampering with the charging process.
  • Plug & Charge: The standard includes provisions for authentication of the EV, this can enable secure plug-and-charge capability, eliminating the need of an RFID.
  • V2G: The standard includes provisions for the support of V2G charging.

ISO 15118 OCPP Support

The OCPP 2.0.1 specification, which was first published in April 2018 and revised in April 2020, enables the use of ISO 15118 for communication between a charging station and an electric vehicle.

OCPP 1.6 also supports ISO 15118 Plug & Charge, as explained in the Open Charge Alliance application note. Furthermore, this integration enhances the interoperability and user experience of electric vehicle charging.

ISO 15118 Regulatory requirements

New York – Mandates

On November 16th, 2023, the NY State Department of Public Service ordered that all projects funded “with Make-Ready Program incentives shall be hardware capable for ISO 15118 Parts 2 and 20, effective December 16, 2023. Additionally, the Public Service Commission ordered that all projects “receiving Make-Ready Program incentives shall achieve software conformance with ISO 15118, effective November 16, 2024. Furthermore, these directives aim to ensure the seamless integration of advanced charging technologies across the state.

California – Recommends

California Energy Commission (CEC) staff recommend that charging providers pursue widespread deployment of ISO 15118-ready chargers. According to CEC analysis, these chargers are essential to support current and upcoming vehicle features. Moreover, they provide critical vehicle-grid integration capabilities and offer a user experience that is easier than using gas.

Plug & Charge

The “Plug & Charge” feature of ISO 15118 is a system that allows an electric vehicle (EV) to be plugged into a charging station and start charging automatically without requiring the driver to initiate the charging process or provide payment information manually. 

To support the “Plug & Charge” feature, both the EV and the charging station must be equipped with the necessary hardware and software to support secure communication and authentication using ISO 15118. Consequently, drivers can initiate the charging process automatically without the need for manual intervention.

The “Plug & Charge” feature of ISO 15118 can help to make EV charging more convenient for drivers, as it eliminates the need to initiate the charging process or provide payment information manually. It can also help to streamline the billing and payment process, as the necessary information can be exchanged automatically between the EV, the charging station, and the back-end system that manages billing.

In January 2022, the CCS initiative CharIN, presented the official logo of Plug & Charge to identify the charging points equipped offering this function at a glance. Charging point operators (CPO) and car manufacturers can display the logo if they support this capability.

Plug & Charge Logo

The official logo of Plug & Charge

 

Wevo Energy is a leading provider of software solutions for smart EV charging. We provide a fully OCPP certified (full certification and security certification) software platform that supports every scenario: apartment complexes, workplaces, fleets, destination and public charging.

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