Key ‘Plug and Charge’ Agreement Could Eliminate EV Charging-Payment Headaches

SAE Industry Technologies Consortia’s EV infrastructure group and Joint Office of Energy and Transportation announce EVKPI framework for “plug and charge” capabilities.

December 4, 2024

Chris Clonts

A European-specification EV using the SAE Standard J1772 charging connector. Under a new framework, using public charging in the United States could get easier under a common "Plug and Charge" system. (Stellantis)

A persistent frustration of electric vehicle owners ─ trouble working with payment software at public chargers ─ could be eased soon after an SAE ITC-led group working on EV infrastructure and the federal Joint Office of Energy and Transportation agreed on a framework on so-called plug-and-charge capability.

Under the Electric Vehicle Public Key Infrastructure (EVKPI) framework, vehicles, chargers and charging networks would all be able to communicate, moving the industry closer to a universal solution that allows drivers to plug in and start charging without fumbling with apps, usernames and passwords, or QR codes or even entering credit card information at a charger.

The release cited the following benefits of the framework:

Better cybersecurity protocols for the entire EV charging ecosystem, which has been shown to be a weak point subject to attack by hackers. The framework ensures security is built in from the start, not a layer added later.
Universal data sharing results in faster automated charging as soon as a vehicle is plugged into a public charger. A certificate trust list (CTL) enables seamless sharing.
Benefits beyond a better charging experience such as vehicle-to-grid energy sharing.

Sarah Hipel, acting CTO of the Joint Office, said the EVKPI provides the “crucial connecting layer” while focusing on wide compatibility and security. “This enables innovation while supporting future advances in vehicle-grid integration and vehicle-to-everything communication,” she said.

A lynchpin feature of the framework is the certificate trust list requirements that OEMs and charging companies must comply with before they apply to be a PKI root member. The news release indicated that the industry would work in 2025 to develop:

A secure process for vendors to exchange technology
PKI user onboarding and testing practices
A new, competitive EVPKI supply market

Tim Weisenberger, the SAE EVPKI director, said the CTL provides a critical message security solution for plug-and-play functionality. He said he is grateful to many for the enormous progress the framework represents. “We thank our diverse, global industry members for their agile development approach and look forward to making electric mobility easier and more effective for consumers,” he said.

Sarah Hipel, with the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, said the 'Plug and Charge' framework would be welcomed by consumers. (2023 photo by Chris Clonts)

Gabe Klein, executive director of the Joint Office, said it is a fundamental step to true vehicle-to-grid integration and bidirectional charging, an oft-mentioned but as-yet-unseen benefit of EVs and their large batteries.

Hipel and Klein both told The Verge that since the effort was being funded by members of the industry, that it should be relatively safe from President-elect Donald Trump’s pledges to cut back on federal support for electric vehicles.

The ITC’s EVKPI consortium includes BP Pulse, General Motors, Ford, ChargePoint, Electrify America, Tesla, Toyota, Rivan and others.

An August study by JD Power said that payment issues were one of the top frustrations of EV users and that they yearned for an automatic payment system, just the kind that plug-and-play is meant to deliver. In the study, EV drivers reported that as many as 20% of visits to chargers were futile due to payment problems or other issues.