Open and Interoperable Electric Vehicle Charging in Emerging Markets
September 16, 2026
V1.0
This whitepaper examines how OCPP supports EV charging deployment in emerging markets, addressing intermittent connectivity, power outages, mobile payments, and low-cost hardware. It includes a case study and explains why OCPP 2.1 is recommended for charging infrastructure in developing economies.
Open and Interoperable Electric Vehicle Charging in Emerging Markets
Open and Interoperable Electric Vehicle Charging in Emerging Markets
Electric vehicle adoption is accelerating well beyond established markets, with countries like Nepal, Ethiopia, Costa Rica and Jordan already achieving electric car sales shares above 10%. Sustaining this growth requires charging infrastructure designed for local realities: intermittent mobile connectivity, less reliable power grids, higher data costs, and a vehicle mix often dominated by two- and three-wheelers rather than passenger cars.
This whitepaper was developed with support from UNEP and GIZ. It explores how OCPP addresses conditions ranging from offline transaction handling and local authorization to mobile-money payment integration, battery swapping, and low-cost hardware implementations. A Kenya case study illustrates how emerging charging ecosystems can embed interoperability from the outset. The paper concludes with practical deployment guidance, including why OCPP 2.1 is the recommended starting point for new charging networks in these markets.
