Skip to content Skip to footer
en

OCPP : Open charge point protocol

Protocols / Open charge point protocol

The goal for Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) is to offer a uniform solution for the method of communication between charge point and central system. With this protocol it is possible to connect any central system with any charge point, regardless of the vendor. A uniform standard prevents all kinds of coordination problems and  is therefore an advantage for the whole electric vehicle market.

At the moment there are three versions of OCPP available.

OCPP 2.1 OCPP 2.0.1 OCPP 1.6

OCPP 2.1 Open charge point protocol 2.1

OCPP 2.1 is designed for smarter, more efficient, and user-friendly EV charging solutions. It is part of our mission to stay ahead and to improve constantly. We reached this milestone thanks to the input and feedback we received from OCA participants and OCPP enthusiasts from all over the world! Together, we define the future of EV charging. 

OCPP 2.1 extends OCPP 2.0.1 with additional functionality. Care has been taken to make sure that all application logic developed for OCPP 2.0.1 will continue to work in OCPP 2.1. 

OCPP 2.1 includes improved and added functionalities compared to OCPP 2.0.1: 

  1. Support for ISO 15118-20: Support for ISO 15118-20 with bidirectional power transfer.  
  2. New Functional Block on Bidirectional Charging: Enablement of bidirectional energy flows (V2X), allowing EVs to act as energy sources.  
  3. New Functional Block on DER Control: Enhanced integration with distributed energy resources (DER). 
  4. Improved Smart Charging: Advanced tools for optimized energy distribution across charging stations. 
  5. Extended Transaction Options: Possibility to perform transactions with fixed costs, energy or time. Possibility to resume transactions after a forced reboot. 
  6. Battery Swapping: Support for battery swap stations for two- and three-wheelers and electric vehicles. 
  7. Local Cost Calculation: Support for local cost calculation on the charging station.  
  8. New Authorization Options:  
    • Support for Prepaid Charge Cards: Transaction cost cannot exceed prepaid card balance.  
    • Support for Ad Hoc Payment: Pay with credit or debit card via a built-in or a stand-alone credit card terminal. 
    • Secure Dynamic QR Codes: Introduction of secure dynamic QR-codes for ad hoc payment. 
  9. Many Additional Improvements: A variety of updates driven by feedback from the EV charging community. 
Download

OCPP 2.0.1 Open charge point protocol 2.0.1

OCPP 2.0 made it’s first appearance in 2018 as the successor of OCPP 1.6. However, OCA decided together with the community that the 2.0 version could use some additions. Due hard work from both our OCA team and the community OCPP 2.0.1 was introduced in 2020 and is on its way to replace OCPP 1.6 as the new industry standard in communication protocol between the CS and CSMS. OCPP 2.0.1 has the following improved/added functionalities in comparison to OCPP 1.6:  

  • Device Management Features to get and set configurations and also to monitor a Charging Station. 
  • Improved transaction handling 
  • Added security 
  • Added smart charging functionalities 
  • Support for ISO 15118 
  • Display and messaging support 
  • Many additional improvements requested by the EV charging community  

Note that OCPP 1.6 and OCPP 2.0.1 are not compatible. OCPP 2.0.1 ed3 was approved as an IEC standard (IEC63584) in 2024.

Download Test Tool Certification Whitepapers

OCPP 1.6 Open Charge Point Protocol 1.6

OCPP 1.6 was released in 2015 and took OCPP to a new level. OCPP 1.6 downloaded rose in the years after and is now worldwide integrated by CS and CSMS manufacturers.
OCPP 1.6 functions are:  

  • OCPP 1.5 
  • Both SOAP and JSON versions 
  • Smart Charging support for load balancing and use of charge profiles 
  • (Local) list management support 
  • Additional status 
  • Message sending requests such as CP time or status at the CP 
  • Minor improvements in specifications (In comparison to OCPP 1.5) 
Download Test Tool Certification Whitepapers

Older OCPP versions

Click here to find the older versions of the OCPP protocols.

Archive

Join our community

Do you want to contribute to the OCPP protocol in a community with hunderds of EV experts?

Become an OCA member! You will have acces to the latest information on OCPP, you can join one of the working groups, ask question to the community and network with like-minded professionals. Join us today to unlock the benefits of being part of the OCA community.

Join us now