The Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance (CEVA) has sent an open letter to the US DOE, DOT and GSA, urging officials to develop charging infrastructure programs that incorporate open standards such as the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) and Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI).
CEVA is a group of 28 companies that advocates for zero-emission vehicles. The member firms “represent over $1 trillion in annual revenue and collectively own, lease, or operate over one million fleet or networked vehicles in the United States.”
“We share a common goal of electrifying our fleets and networks, and we write to emphasize the need for widespread open charging standards that would rapidly accelerate zero- emission vehicle deployment in the US through enhanced accessibility,” CEVA wrote.
CEVA wants the federal government to establish standards for publicly-funded charging stations that will allow them to run on any management software, link to new networks, and accept all payment methods.
“Most public EV charging systems live on proprietary islands and don’t allow for open payment, like you have at a gas station,” said Chris King, a Senior VP at CEVA member Siemens.
“Open-access charging sites help ensure that electric vehicles can be used across a greater range of routes,” says CEVA leader Sara Forni. “Interoperability enhances equity and reduces range anxiety. Over the long term, open charging standards allow the industry to move forward as a cohesive unit, reducing the risk of tying infrastructure to technology that may become obsolete.”
Source: Ceres