What changes when the car identifies itself?
A fast charger at a service area. The driver plugs in and walks to the café. No card, no app, no screen.
A few seconds later the car is charging, and the session will appear on the driver's monthly invoice.
The questionHow does the charger know whom to bill, without anything from the driver?
Guess firstWhat could the car send so that the charger knows whom to bill?RevealHide
A certificate. The car stores digital proof of the driver's contract and presents it through the charging cable; the backend checks it and links the session to the provider.
- Plug incable connected
- Tap or appdriver acts
- Backendchecks the card
- Chargingstarts
- Plug incable connected
- Certificatecar presents it
- Backendchecks it
- Chargingstarts
The contract stays the same; only who presents it changes.
Automated, not anonymous
automates communication and billing between car and charger, without external means of identification such as charging cards or apps; defines the interfaces for it. The driver still has a contract with a provider. The car carries proof of that contract, a certificate, and presents it when it is plugged in.
EU law calls this automatic authentication: authentication of a vehicle at a charge point through the charging connector or telematics.
Check your understanding
3 questions. Answer all of them to complete this stop. Each answer explains itself.
What does the car present with Plug & Charge?
The car carries a contract certificate and presents it to the charger when it is plugged in.
Which standard defines the interfaces for Plug & Charge?
ISO 15118 defines the communication between car and charger, including the certificate exchange.
How does EU law call authentication through the connector or telematics?
AFIR defines automatic authentication as authentication of a vehicle through the recharging connector or telematics.
- ISO 15118 International standard for the digital communication between car and charger, the basis of Plug & Charge. EV charging fundamentals, stop 08 Glossary
- Plug & Charge The car identifies itself with a certificate when plugged in, so no card or app is needed. EV charging fundamentals, stop 08 Glossary
- CharIN: Plug & Charge at CharIN: standardised and interoperable. https://www.charin.global/technology/plug-charge/. Checked 09 Oct 2026.
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 (AFIR), Article 2(8): automatic authentication. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1804/oj. Checked 09 Oct 2026. © European Union, reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.