Standard explained
OCPP Explained (Open Charge Point Protocol)
OCPP is an open standard that lets EV chargers communicate with back-office software from any vendor — enabling monitoring, billing, load management and future flexibility.
OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol) is an open communication standard that lets EV chargers talk to back-office management software — regardless of who made the charger. It is the key to avoiding vendor lock-in and keeping a charging estate flexible.
What OCPP enables
- Monitoring — charger status, faults and usage from a central dashboard.
- Billing — recording energy per user or per session for cost recovery or paid charging.
- Load management — coordinating charging rates across the estate (see load management).
- Remote support — diagnostics and firmware updates without a site visit.
Why "open" matters
Chargers that only work with a single proprietary platform tie you to one supplier for the life of the equipment. OCPP-compliant chargers can be moved between back-office providers, protecting your investment and keeping pricing competitive.
Choosing OCPP
When specifying commercial or shared charging, insist on genuine OCPP support and confirm the version. It future-proofs the installation and makes management, billing and maintenance far simpler as the estate grows.
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