Plug and Charge

Also known as Plug & Charge, PnC

Plug and Charge is an EV charging feature that lets a compatible vehicle and chargepoint authenticate a charging session automatically, usually through ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 15118 certificate-based communication, rather than relying on a separate RFID card, app or payment card.

Plug and Charge, often styled Plug & Charge, is an EV charging feature in which a compatible vehicle and EVSE (EV supply equipment) exchange authentication information when the charging cable is connected. CharIN describes it as automated communication and billing between the EV and charging station without external identification such as RFID cards, debit or credit cards or charging apps. The interfaces sit in ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 15118, so the term may appear near CCS (Combined Charging System), digital certificates, public charging network enrolment, smart charging and bidirectional charging. It is different from OCPP, which is the protocol between charging stations and charging management systems rather than the vehicle-to-chargepoint authentication step.