The purpose of ATE’s Technical Committee is to be a resource for members to learn about and share experiences with various technical aspects of EV charging, in particular those aspects that relate to open standards and interoperability. Open standards and interoperability are two of ATE’s core principles because they provide a platform for competition and innovation, which in turn benefit our members and customers.

As the EV charging industry evolves and matures, ATE’s Technical Committee will provide a forum that supports our members, identifying key issues for advocacy, and spreading best practices. The Technical Committee meets monthly, and our agendas typically include recent developments, periodic updates, and speakers who are discussing a recent deployment and sometimes market participants.

Topics within the Technical Committee’s portfolio include:

  • OCPP is the open protocol that EVSE and cloud networks use to communicate. OCPP is sponsored by the Open Charge Alliance (an Affiliate Member of ATE), and is analogous to the communication protocol between a mobile phone and the mobile network on which the phone runs. OCPP’s key benefit is mitigating the risk of vendor lock and stranded assets by providing an EVSE owner the ability to select from among multiple network operators without having to replace the EVSE itself. OCPP also promotes competition in the network business by enabling hardware owners with the ability to swap networks.
  • OCPI is the open protocol that facilitates network to network communications, and is also referred to as EV Roaming. Sponsored by The Netherlands Knowledge Platform for Charging Infrastructure (NKL), OCPI is analogous to a mobile phone’s ability to roam on a competing network. OCPI relieves drivers of the burden of maintaining multiple memberships, and it also provides a common platform for various network operators to exchange information such as driver credentials, EVSE location in maps, cross-network reservations, reconciliation of transactions between networks, and managed charging.
  • ISO-15118 is a protocol that facilitates technologies such as plug and charge, which enables drivers to initiate a charge session without an app or card; with this protocol, the vehicle communicates with the EVSE and related systems simply by plugging in.
  • Weights & Measures are state regulations that govern standards such as the specific information required at a point of sale and the manner in which goods such as electricity are sold. Standards are important for providing consumer protection by disclosing relevant information and ensuring accuracy in the measurement of energy dispensed, and ATE is engaged in the process to represent the interests of our members and to facilitate awareness of this important issue.
  • High speed charging is critically important for all stakeholders because of the tremendous load as chargers get more powerful and more prevalent. High speed charging in the U.S. is generally being implemented via the Combined Charging System (CCS), an open, universal, and international charging system for electric vehicles based on international standards. CCS combines single-phase and 3-phase AC charging using alternating current of maximum of 43 kW. It also provides very fast high-power DC charging (up to 450 kW) within a single system. A new connector for megawatt+ charging is in development. High speed charging is also possible through various types of pantographs, with other systems in development.
  • Vehicle-Grid Integration (VGI) and OpenADR, sometimes referred to as Vehicle to Grid (V2G), are technologies that allow EVs to serve as distributed energy resources. VGI is a generic term, while Open ADR is sponsored by the OpenADR Alliance, a nonprofit corporation. The OpenADR Alliance was created to standardize, automate, and simplify Demand Response (DR) and Distributed Energy Resources (DER) to enable utilities and aggregators to cost-effectively manage growing energy demand & decentralized energy production, and customers to control their energy future.
  • ATE’s Model Request for Proposals (RFP) is a living document that includes best practices and model language. Soliciting EV charging infrastructure and related services are new undertakings for most, so ATE drafted a model RFP that includes the essential provisions. Members are welcome to use the RFP as-is or make changes to suit their particular needs.

We invite all Members and Affiliate Members to designate at least one representative to participate on the Technical Committee which holds virtual meetings monthly.