EV Charging Terminology

EN 61851 is the UK-relevant BS EN IEC standard series for conductive EV charging systems, covering EVSE requirements, charging modes, control functions and safety principles for AC and DC charging. In UK terminology it is often referenced through BS EN IEC adoption and manufacturer compliance declarations.

EN 61851-24 covers digital communication between a DC EV charging station and an electric vehicle for DC charging control. On EVCP Info, it links related terminology to the relevant regulatory, standards or compliance framework used by UK-focused audiences.

EN IEC 63584 is the European and international standards-track home for OCPP, formalising Open Charge Point Protocol communication between charge points and charging station management systems. In UK terminology it supports OCPP as a recognised interoperability standard for EV charging infrastructure.

EN IEC 63584-201 is part of the OCPP standards series and aligns OCPP 2.0.1 with a formal EV charging communication standard. On EVCP Info, it links related terminology to the relevant regulatory, standards or compliance framework used by UK-focused audiences.

EN IEC 63584-210 is part of the OCPP standards series and aligns OCPP 2.1 with a formal EV charging communication standard. On EVCP Info, it links related terminology to the relevant regulatory, standards or compliance framework used by UK-focused audiences.

GB/T Charging Standard refers to Chinese national recommended standards used for conductive EV charging, including requirements for AC and DC charging connections and associated communication. In EV charging, the term is commonly used to describe the Chinese charging interface and protocol ecosystem, including the GB/T 20234 series.

ISO 15118 is the international vehicle-to-grid communication standard series covering EV-to-charger digital communication, Plug & Charge, smart charging and bidirectional charging functions. In the UK it is increasingly relevant to future-ready public, fleet and V2G-capable charging systems.

ISO 15118-1 defines general information and use cases for the vehicle-to-grid communication interface. On EVCP Info, it links related terminology to the relevant regulatory, standards or compliance framework used by UK-focused audiences.

ISO 15118-10 specifies requirements for wireless power transfer communication within the vehicle-to-grid communication framework. On EVCP Info, it links related terminology to the relevant regulatory, standards or compliance framework used by UK-focused audiences.

ISO 15118-2 specifies network and application protocol requirements for EV-to-EVSE communication. On EVCP Info, it links related terminology to the relevant regulatory, standards or compliance framework used by UK-focused audiences.

ISO 15118-20 is the second-generation vehicle-to-grid network and application protocol standard, extending support for advanced smart charging and bidirectional power transfer. On EVCP Info, it links related terminology to the relevant regulatory, standards or compliance framework used by UK-focused audiences.

ISO 15118-3 covers physical and data link layer requirements for vehicle-to-grid communication. On EVCP Info, it links related terminology to the relevant regulatory, standards or compliance framework used by UK-focused audiences.

ISO 15118-4 contains conformance test specifications for ISO 15118 network and application protocol requirements. On EVCP Info, it links related terminology to the relevant regulatory, standards or compliance framework used by UK-focused audiences.

ISO 15118-5 contains conformance test specifications for the physical and data link layer of vehicle-to-grid communication. On EVCP Info, it links related terminology to the relevant regulatory, standards or compliance framework used by UK-focused audiences.

ISO 15118-6 covers wireless communication general information and use cases within the vehicle-to-grid communication framework. On EVCP Info, it links related terminology to the relevant regulatory, standards or compliance framework used by UK-focused audiences.

ISO 15118-7 defines wireless communication requirements for network and application layers in the vehicle-to-grid communication interface. On EVCP Info, it links related terminology to the relevant regulatory, standards or compliance framework used by UK-focused audiences.

ISO 15118-8 covers wireless communication physical and data link layer requirements for vehicle-to-grid communication. On EVCP Info, it links related terminology to the relevant regulatory, standards or compliance framework used by UK-focused audiences.

ModBus RTU is a serial ModBus communication method, commonly used over RS-485. In EV charging, it may be used for meters, load controllers, gateways or site energy management devices.

ModBus TCP/IP is a ModBus communication method that runs over Ethernet/IP networks. In EV charging, it may be used for integration with meters, energy management systems, building controls or load management systems.

OCPP 1.5 is an older version of the Open Charge Point Protocol used for communication between charge points and management systems. It is normally assessed alongside interoperability, supported protocol versions, firmware support and backend compatibility.

OCPP 1.6 is a widely deployed Open Charge Point Protocol version used for charger-to-backend communication and remote management. It is normally assessed alongside interoperability, supported protocol versions, firmware support and backend compatibility.

OCPP 2.0.1 is a newer Open Charge Point Protocol version with expanded support for device management, security, transactions and smart charging. It is normally assessed alongside interoperability, supported protocol versions, firmware support and backend compatibility.

OCPP 2.1 is a recent Open Charge Point Protocol version developed to support advanced charging features, smart charging and improved interoperability. It is normally assessed alongside interoperability, supported protocol versions, firmware support and backend compatibility.

Open Charge Point Interface is a roaming and data exchange protocol used between e-mobility service providers and charge point operators. It is normally assessed alongside interoperability, supported protocol versions, firmware support and backend compatibility.

Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) is the open protocol used for communication between EV charge points and charging station management systems. It supports authorisation, transactions, remote monitoring, diagnostics, smart charging and interoperability between hardware and backend platforms.

Plug & Charge allows a compatible vehicle and charger to authenticate automatically through the charging connection without separate RFID or app steps. It is normally assessed alongside interoperability, supported protocol versions, firmware support and backend compatibility.

Third-party platform support means the charger can connect to charge point management systems or backends other than the manufacturer's own platform, typically through an open or supported protocol such as OCPP.

Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) is an umbrella term for bidirectional EV charging use cases where energy can flow from the vehicle to another load, building, home, grid or wider energy system. It includes V2G, V2H, V2B and V2L depending on the destination of the exported energy.