Apartments and workplaces could benefit from the same driverless authentication and transactional security as big public high-power charging networks.
A fully native AC Plug and Charge implementation, using ISO 15118 and OCPP 2.0.1 protocols,
will be showcased at ICNC22 e-mobility conference in Berlin this month, the first time AC chargers are capable of operating Plug and Charge at full commercial scale.
Electric vehicle manufacturers are now bringing Plug and Charge capable vehicles to the mass
market. It is expected that within three years all new electric vehicles will be capable of charging in this way. And drivers will demand nothing less, across all charging settings.
Plug and Charge replaces the need for any driver involvement in authenticating a charge
session like RFID tokens, credit card payments, or smartphone apps. The vehicle authenticates
with a unique, digitally-signed certificate that links to the driver’s billing account, making the
charging process as seamless as it can be. Simply plug in and charge, and when charging is complete, drivers get on their way.
Residential apartment parking is a key setting for AC-based Plug and Charge technology.
Switch estimates there are 250 million vehicle owners around the world that live in apartments.
Workplaces also rely on AC charging. Many millions of businesses will manage fleets of electric
vehicles in this way.
Switch founder and Chief Executive Marc Mültin said: “Our partnership with manufacturers allows us to embed an advanced ‘Android’ for EV chargers into any AC and DC charger, alleviating the need
to reinvent the wheel. This vital software component enables Plug and Charge and opens the
door to other important bi-directional charging technologies such as Vehicle to Grid (V2G) and
Vehicle to Home (V2H). This will optimise energy use, provide grid stability and add a revenue
stream for vehicle owners”.
The Switch operating system also allows for advanced diagnostics and monitoring, ensuring
maximum charger uptime with less onsite maintenance.
