Those who own an electric car don’t always have an easy life: after having unmarked the problem linked to the different standards for charging connectors, by now Type 2 or Mennekes has become widespread in Europe, they have to face that of the different authentication systems of charging stations recharge. Unlike the classic refueling at the normal petrol station, in fact, that of an electric car involves a greater level of complexity: in fact, a machine and user recognition system is required to enable the correct refueling methods (according to the characteristics of the car) and above all the payment to the energy manager who manages the column. Each operator requires its own access method, a pre-registration and an indication of a payment method. Today it is possible to “dialogue” with the columns mainly via smartphone apps, Rfid or QR code cards present on the column itself which usually refer to web pages. The problem is that these systems often “jam” due to incompatibility between devices or connectivity problems. Fortunately, the situation is not as dramatic as it might seem thanks to a roaming agreement that makes charging networks interoperable between different networks.
A simple and effective solution
Today, however, the diffusion of Plug & Charge technology promises to simplify things, and a lot. With this solution, the electric car and the charging station are able to communicate and recognize each other through an encrypted communication that uses the charging cable directly, without the need for further steps or interactions. All the vehicle and user recognition operations are in fact carried out autonomously by the car and the charging station when the cable is inserted, and thanks to data encryption, payment can also become automatic. Specifically, the Plug & Charge technology is based on the ISO 15118 protocol, an international standard that outlines a two-way communication interface from vehicle to network.
Maximum compatibility but still little diffusion
Plug & Charge technology has the great advantage of being able to work on all types of columns: both those for alternating current charging (those of 22 kW to be clear), and those in direct current. The disadvantage is instead represented by the fact that, in order to work, this system must be implemented both on the columns and on the cars.
To encourage the diffusion of this technology, manufacturers and operators have formed a consortium to found CharIn, an association that represents as many as 280 companies committed to promoting electric mobility and interoperability standards at a European level. In reality, manufacturers are shying away from adopting this standard on their cars. The trailblazer in this case was Tesla, which immediately used the Plug & Charge system on its Supercharger charging stations, which only recently (and in certain geographical areas) have also become accessible to cars of other brands.
Privacy and potential
Like many other services linked to our data, the Plug&Charge standard also presents us with the choice of whether to give priority to our privacy or to enjoy the convenient innovative service.