OCPP — the Open Charge Point Protocol — is the common language between a charging station and the software that manages it. Think of it as the reason your charger does not need to be married to one vendor's app forever.
Why it matters for your money
Without OCPP, a charger only works with its manufacturer's own platform. If you later want better software, cheaper pricing or a different operator, you buy new hardware. With OCPP, you can switch the software layer while keeping every charger in the ground.
1.6J vs 2.0.1
| OCPP 1.6J | OCPP 2.0.1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Maturity | Ubiquitous, every CSMS supports it | Newer, growing adoption |
| Smart charging | Basic profiles | Richer smart-charging and ISO 15118 support |
| Best for | Fleets and single-site operators | Multi-site CPOs planning plug-and-charge |
Migrating from 1.6J to 2.0.1
- Confirm your CSMS supports 2.0.1 — most majors do now
- Run both protocol versions in parallel during transition
- Re-test billing reports and smart-charging profiles, not just connectivity
- Keep 1.6J fallback enabled for older roaming partners
What to ask your vendor
- "Is OCPP 1.6J certified and 2.0.1 available?"
- "Can I use my own CSMS from day one?"
- "Is there any functionality locked to your own platform?"
Every EMS-Charge smart model ships with both OCPP 1.6J and 2.0.1, works with any compliant CSMS, and locks nothing to our cloud. Ask us for the integration checklist.
