Why do tenders ask for OCPP certification?

Implementations can differ in details such as start-up or error handling. Certification and tests with the actual backend close that gap before a rollout.

Explained in

EV charging fundamentals · Stop 08What standards make all of this work?ISO 15118, OCPP, OCPI and AFIR mapped onto one charging session: which agreement makes each moment possible, and why certification matters.

“Supports OCPP” on a datasheet is a starting point. Implementations can differ in details such as start-up behaviour, offline handling or error recovery. Certification programmes and tests with the actual backend before rollout close this gap, which is why tenders ask for certificates.

From “From datasheet to field”, stop 08

Terms

  1. OCPPOpen Charge Point Protocol: the open protocol between a charger and its operator's backend.
  1. What is Plug & Charge?With Plug & Charge, based on ISO 15118, the car identifies itself with a certificate when plugged in, so no card or app is needed.
  2. What does AFIR require?Ad hoc payment at new public chargers, price and status information through open interfaces, and charging pools every 60 km along the main European roads, with rising power targets up to 2027.
  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. How many public charge points are there in Europe?More than 1.1 million in the EU alone: the European Alternative Fuels Observatory counted 1,159,838 public recharging points in August 2026. The map on this site covers part of the network: 839,000 public charge points at 227,000 sites across Europe, from national registries and OpenChargeMap.
  1. Open Charge Alliance: OCPP certification programme. https://openchargealliance.org/certification/. Checked 07 Oct 2026.