Towards a simplified universal charging protocol for electric cars

PARIS: The Plug & Charge protocol could get off to a new start from 2025, particularly in the United States, thanks to a collaboration between SAE International — a consortium specializing in vehicle engineering — and the automakers involved in this technology, including Tesla, Ford, General Motors, Toyota and BMW as well as numerous charging operators.

Before handing over the reins, the Biden administration will even delve into the coffers to help roll out this technology as quickly as possible.

The idea is that owners of electric vehicles will be able to plug them into any charging station, and that the station will automatically manage car authentication and payment via a secure, standardised system.

The advantages of this protocol are manifold. Firstly, it considerably simplifies the charging process, as motorists no longer need dedicated cards or applications to make payments.

Everything here is managed automatically, from car identification to payment for a perfectly seamless experience.

What's more, as the protocol is based on the ISO 15118 standard, it is likely to be easy to deploy across large networks of charging stations. The protocol is also compatible with bidirectional charging, which enables an electric vehicle not only to draw energy from the grid, but also to release it back when needed.

In Europe, the Ionity network, supported by several carmakers, is one of the largest to already offer Plug & Charge functionality. Making such technology available to as many people as possible throughout the world should help to simplify the use of electric cars and thus accelerate the shift to cleaner energy.