What is OCPP and why should you care?

The demand for electric vehicle infrastructure is on the rise. The number of EVs in the United Kingdom increases by the day and the public and government are eager to see growth in the accessibility to charging points across the UK.

For business owners, an investment in electric vehicle infrastructure can be daunting. After all, an investment is only a good one if it’s sustainable and advantageous. With a growing technology such as electric vehicles, it’s important that investments are long-term and scalable to adapt to user demand and government regulation. Introducing OCPP-certified hardware to your site could be the solution.

What is OCPP? 

OCPP stands for Open Charge Point Protocol and it is an initiative fronted by the Open Charge Alliance (OCA).

The Open Charge Point Protocol makes standard the language, structure, and rules of data exchanges between electric vehicle charging points and central control systems. For hardware manufacturers and charging stations owners, OCPP offers a communication protocol that makes the data sharing and communication between charging points and central stations smooth and instantaneous to meet user demand.

Put simply, OCPP software enables mobile apps, central management systems and EV charging stations to ‘talk’ to each other using the same ‘language’.

Why should you care? 

1) No stranded assets

A stranded asset is a piece of equipment or a resource that once had value or produced income but no longer does. This change usually occurs as a result of external change such as technology developments, markets and societal habits.

Many business owners are concerned that investment in charging point infrastructure could become outdated in the years to come and leave them with losses. Certain devices only understand certain software and that software may not progress as the technology EVolution does.

OCPP compatible charging points will update and learn with the changing nature and demand of the EV market, using each version to bring the latest system requirements to users.

An open communication protocol is license-free and available internationally so that business owners are protected when they invest in charging stations.

2) Interoperability gives you control

Interoperability is the ability of different information systems, devices and applications/systems to access, exchange, integrate and cooperatively use data in a coordinated manner.

By using an open network, you can choose the price you pay for EV charging services and can avoid being pushed into long-term agreements where a station manufacturer or service provider dictates the price to you.

A truly open network helps a business to integrate seamlessly with new technologies and solutions as they emerge. In the EV world, technology will only develop more rapidly as the need for electric vehicles becomes more demanding.

Being able to stay at the forefront of technology and adapt to the needs of employees, visitors and users add value to businesses as you have the full freedom of choice and control over your own operations.

3) Improved user experience

OCPP stations and networks increase the accessibility and choices that drivers have to compatible charging stations. Drivers that have access to an open charging network may worry less about their travel route because there are an increasing amount of charging stations that work with their charging service provider.

Think about how phone networks will lock phones to specific providers. Apply an unlocked phone concept to an electric vehicle. If a user has the choice to choose their provider and use different ones based on functionality and accessibility, it opens up the scope of a journey a lot more.

Using OCPP is an intelligent choice.  Not only will usage make it more accessible but the charging process itself will be simpler for business owners and users alike. Platforms that boost ease of use and enable flexibility for EV drivers and property managers alike are automatically going to win favour for user accessibility.

4) Reduced costs

If all market players make use of the same protocol, then total costs will drop. If companies share the technology and experience then new developments will be executed more quickly and introduced by other parties.

Using OCPP gives the site host the ability to swap out their network whenever they want. This pressure usually coaxes networks to reduce service fees to stay competitive. By using OCPP you don’t have to be forced into paying inflated fees for your charging station network because you can always just easily swap your network for a cheaper one!

OCPP compliant EV chargers

All of Sevadis’ charging points (apart from the Compact model that uses RFID card technology as standard) are OCPP-certified. By choosing our charging points for your site, you can benefit from the OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme grant as we are a certified provider and also be confident that you’ll be investing in technology that can meet service demands today, tomorrow and in the years to come.

The future of the automobile industry is today. Make sure your business isn’t late to the party. For more information on electric vehicle charging points for your business, contact Sevadis today on 0330 058 7144 or email customerservice@sevadis.com.

Published 09/03/2020