Why Plug & Charge is no longer optional

The Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) is pushing public charging networks towards standardised, interoperable sessions across Europe. Plug & Charge is moving from a premium feature to a baseline expectation, driven by several converging pressures:

• Regulatory compliance: AFIR mandates interoperability across public charging networks, with ISO 15118 increasingly referenced in national implementation frameworks.
• Tender eligibility: Public procurement evaluations and OEM deployment programmes are beginning to require Plug & Charge support as a baseline criterion.
• Fleet and driver expectations: Next-generation EVs are shipping with ISO 15118 as standard. Networks that don't support it risk compatibility gaps as the vehicle mix shifts.
• Roaming interoperability: Without Plug & Charge, EMSPs face limitations in cross-network roaming agreements that depend on certificate-based authentication.

The question is no longer whether to support Plug & Charge - it's how quickly operators can get there.

‍

Plug & Charge vs Autocharge - what operators need to know

Both Autocharge and Plug & Charge allow drivers to start a session without manual input, but the underlying architecture is different. Autocharge uses the vehicle's MAC address for identification. It's fast to deploy, but lacks a standardised security layer and doesn't scale to full roaming interoperability.

Plug & Charge works by exchanging digital credentials between the vehicle and the charge point the moment the cable is connected. The car automatically presents a certificate linked to the driver's account, which is verified in the background. No card, no app - just a secure, automatic session that works across any compatible network.

Ocean supports both approaches - Autocharge for simplicity and fast deployment, and Plug & Charge for operators who need full roaming interoperability and regulatory compliance. The two can run side by side, without reworking core systems.

‍

‍

How Ocean enables Plug & Charge in practice

Ocean is certified as both a CPO and an EMSP in the Plug & Charge ecosystem. Customers onboard into a pre-audited setup, no independent certificate infrastructure or separate backend audit required.

For CPOs, setup happens at the charge point level. The operator activates ISO 15118 on each supported charger, and Ocean handles the rest - registering the unit with the certification authority and installing the required charge point certificate. Sessions run over OCPP 1.6 or 2.0.1, with Plug & Charge message flows supported on both.

For EMSPs, setup happens on the driver side. The driver enables Plug & Charge in the EV charging app and enters their vehicle's certificate identifier. Ocean generates and issues a contract certificate for that vehicle. From that point on, the car authenticates automatically at any compatible charge point - no app, no card, no action required.

‍

What Plug & Charge compliance means for your network

For CPOs and EMSPs on Ocean, Plug & Charge is operational today. Operators access certified Plug & Charge infrastructure through Ocean's existing integration, without managing certificates, contracts, or audit processes independently.

For partners, this translates into:

• Faster go-live: Ocean's pre-certified connection reduces onboarding complexity and removes the need for a separate backend audit, so operators can reach production faster.
• Automated operations: Charger registration, certificate installation, and contract validation are handled automatically by Ocean's backend - reducing manual configuration and operational overhead from day one.
• Stronger market positioning: ISO 15118 Plug & Charge compliance increasingly determines access to public tenders, OEM deployment programmes, and roaming network agreements across Europe.