Picture this: You roll up to an EV charger, tap your RFID card or fire up your favourite charging app, and boom, you're charging in seconds. No extra accounts, no app overload. That’s the magic of OCPI keeping things seamless! 

So, What is OCPI? 

OCPI (Open Charge Point Interface) serves as the bridge that enables seamless communication between diverse EV charging networks. It ensures that different charging networks, charge point operators (CPOs), and e-mobility service providers (EMSPs) can communicate seamlessly. Think of it as the WhatsApp of EV charging, letting different systems talk, exchange data, and make charging as hassle-free as possible.

OCPI enables seamless data exchange between charging networks and service providers. Solutions like Iris Network, an OCPP-compliant EV Charging Management System (CMS), integrate OCPI to ensure reliable interoperability, maximizing uptime, utilization, and availability across networks. OCPI eliminates silos and promotes EV roaming, ensuring that drivers can use their home provider's app to access multiple charging networks without extra hassle.  

Why Should You Care? 

Because without OCPI, charging your EV outside your home could be a nightmare. Imagine traveling and discovering that your EV’s app doesn’t work with a charger from a different network. OCPI solves this by enabling EV roaming, allowing you to charge across multiple CPO networks using a single app or RFID card. This cross-network interoperation is key to making EV charging as accessible as refuelling a petrol or diesel car.

Beyond making life easier for drivers, OCPI also facilitates business growth for CPOs and EMSPs. It creates a more transparent marketplace, reducing range anxiety for drivers while allowing CPOs to support roaming agreements and grow their customer base.

The Cool Things OCPI Does 

• EV Roaming: With OCPI, your EV charging app can connect to multiple networks, so you don’t need a separate app for every CPO.

• Real-Time Availability: OCPI enables live data exchange, allowing drivers to see charger availability, pricing, and charging speeds in real-time.

• EV Billing & Payments: Transparent pricing and easy transactions. Whether through an app, RFID card, or even auto-pay, OCPI ensures smooth financial reconciliation between networks.

• Smart Charging & Reservations: The protocol supports remote commands for reservations, smart charging scheduling, and energy management.

• Scalability & Open Access: OCPI is royalty-free and openly available, fostering innovation and enabling the global expansion of EV infrastructure.

What Does OCPI Cover? 

OCPI acts as the technical handshake between CPOs and EMSPs, ensuring that all charging transactions and data exchanges happen smoothly. It covers: 

• Identification & Authorization: Ensuring that an EV driver is a valid customer before allowing charging.

• Session Management: Logging key details like charging time, energy transferred, and battery status.

• Billing & Payments: Facilitating seamless transaction clearing and financial reconciliation. 

OCPI in the EU: Powering Cross-Border EV Charging 

Europe is at the forefront of EV adoption, and OCPI is playing a critical role in streamlining charging access across borders. With nations like Germany, the Netherlands, France, and Italy driving widespread EV adoption, interoperability between charging networks has become a necessity rather than an option.

How OCPI is Transforming EV Charging in the EU: 

• Seamless Cross-Border Charging: Given the frequent travel across European countries, OCPI ensures that EV drivers can charge effortlessly across multiple networks using a single app or RFID card, whether journeying from Brussels to Berlin or Milan to Paris.

• Regulatory Alignment & Standardization: EU policies, such as the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), emphasize open access to charging infrastructure. OCPI facilitates compliance by enabling uniform communication and transaction processes across networks.

• Optimized Charging Operations: CPOs and EMSPs use OCPI to enhance uptime, maximize station utilization, and improve financial settlements. Solutions like Iris Network leverage OCPI to streamline multi-network operations, enable real-time charger status updates, and enhance pricing transparency.

• Public & Private Network Expansion: From highways to urban hubs and commercial zones, OCPI connects private and public charging infrastructures, empowering fleet operators, businesses, and municipalities to scale their charging networks without technical bottlenecks.

As the EU accelerates its transition to a unified EV ecosystem, OCPI remains the foundation of a scalable, interconnected, and future-ready charging network. 

Who Uses OCPI? 

CPOs, EMSPs, and fleet operators who want their EV Charging Management System (CMS) or Charge Point Management System (CPMS) to be future-proof. Companies using smart EV charger analytics can leverage OCPI for better energy management, demand forecasting, and overall EV charging asset management. 

The Bigger Picture 

OCPI isn’t just about convenience-it’s about building a truly global and accessible EV charging infrastructure. Originally developed for the European market, it has now gained worldwide traction, including in India, helping to create a unified and scalable charging ecosystem. With fewer barriers to entry, reduced transaction costs, and improved interoperability, OCPI is a game-changer for both businesses and EV drivers. 

 TL;DR 

OCPI is the backbone of a seamless EV charging experience. It connects networks, enables roaming, simplifies payments, and makes EV charging reliable, accessible, and future-ready. Whether you’re a driver, a charge point operator, or a fleet manager, OCPI is working behind the scenes to keep the EV world running. 

So next time you plug in, remember that OCPI is making sure it’s smooth sailing (or rather, smooth charging)! 

Citation:

Tapola, Erkki. “The New UK Charging Regulations in a Nutshell.” The Practical OCPI Guide, 3 Jan. 2024, ocpiguide.com/the-new-uk-charging-regulations-in-a-nutshell.

European Commission Publishes Delegated Acts for AFIR - Open for Consultation | European Alternative Fuels Observatory. 18 Feb. 2025, alternative-fuels-observatory.ec.europa.eu/general-information/news/european-commission-publishes-delegated-acts-afir-open-consultation.

Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 Guidance. GOV.UK, 21 Oct. 2024, www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-public-charge-point-regulations-2023-guidance/public-charge-point-regulations-2023-guidance#:~:text=Charge%20point%20operators%20must%20enable,remove%20a%20payment%20roaming%20provider.