Who connects a charging site to the grid?

The grid operator, usually the local distribution system operator. It plans and approves the connection, and its capacity sets what the site can deliver.

Explained in

EV charging fundamentals · Stop 02Who are all the companies involved?Look closely at one charging moment and count the companies at work: site host, CPO, eMSP, software provider and grid operator.

Terms

  1. DSODistribution system operator: runs the local power grid and connects charging sites to it.
  1. Who is the CPO and who is the eMSP?The CPO operates the charger and keeps it available. The eMSP issues the card or app, sets the driver's price and sends the invoice. One company can hold both roles.
  2. How many companies operate public chargers?Around 15,500 companies operate public charge points in the directory data. A small number of large networks run most of them, while almost 13,000 run fewer than ten each.
  3. Why does charging involve so many companies?Three things spread the work: the grid connection, the location where people park, and contracts that work across many networks. One company can hold several roles, but the roles stay separate.
  4. What happens when I tap my charging card?The charger asks its operator's backend whether the card may charge. For another company's card, the backend checks it with the roaming partner or with a list of cards it received in advance.