OCPI use cases

OCPI use cases

Main use cases for OCPI 

OCPI unlocks the following use cases that provide significant benefits to various stakeholders in the sector: 

1. Direct peer-to-peer (P2P) connection 
A direct P2P connection facilitated by OCPI eliminates the need for intermediary services. Instead, EV charging networks enter into direct communication and agreement processes, enabling their respective customers to seamlessly use each other's charging infrastructure. This process involves bilateral agreements between network operators where authentication and billing rules are established. As a result, EV drivers can easily initiate and complete charging sessions on visited networks, while home networks manage billing and settlements directly with the visited network.  
This use case is particularly valuable in scenarios that require sharing or integration of specific EV charging data with third-party software. Key examples include: 

• OCPI enables billing software to access user and charging session data to generate documents related to charging sessions.
• EV driver support software relies on OCPI to access charging point, user, and charging session data. It can process this information and send commands to charging points to address any issues or requests from EV drivers.
• Information about supported payment terminal software and payment options such as credit cards, debit cards, or pin code input devices can be transmitted through OCPI, ensuring that payment terminals have the latest data for transaction processing.
• OCPI provides accurate and real-time information about charging sessions to government and regulatory institutions. 
• Operators working in multiple countries with various business models can use OCPI to establish connections between their tenants. This enables users to access charging points across borders while meeting different business requirements in each country. 

2. Roaming hub integration 
For larger charging networks, direct P2P connections may become impractical. Roaming through a hub offers distinct advantages, particularly in terms of efficiency and operational scope. One of the primary benefits is simplified connectivity; network operators connect to a central hub only once, eliminating the need for multiple agreements and technical arrangements with various parties. Through a hub, operators can instantly expand their access and benefit from its comprehensive network without conducting separate negotiations with each party. This convenience comes with potential additional fees for CPOs; however, the hub model can save resources that would otherwise be spent managing numerous bilateral relationships.