Simplifying EV Charging Payments with OCPI and Cloud-Connect
As the electric vehicle (EV) market continues to expand, so does the complexity of managing charging stations and payments. The Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI) has emerged as a powerful tool for Charge Point Management Systems (CPMS) to streamline communication and interoperability across diverse charging networks.
But how can CPMS providers guarantee smooth, future-proof payment integration? The answer lies in CCV’s Cloud-Connect, combined with CCV’s advanced payment terminals.
What is OCPI?
OCPI is a protocol designed to facilitate communication between EV charging infrastructure and service providers. At its core, OCPI ensures that Charge Point Operators (CPOs) and e-Mobility Service Providers (eMSPs) can communicate with each other regardless of which systems or platforms they use. This enables the charging stations to be used in a larger network, reaching more EV-drivers who often use different charge passes for their payment. It also enables real-time data sharing on crucial factors such as charging sessions, pricing, and station availability.
For CPMS providers, OCPI is particularly valuable because it provides them with a future-proof solution to keep adding new services into their platform for CPOs to use, allowing them to keep adding value for their customers and staying compliant with market requirements and government regulations (i.e. AFIR).
How Cloud-Connect simplifies Payment Integration through OCPI
For Manufacturers, Operators and CPMS providers, the integration of payment systems can be a significant challenge. How to solve this? The answer is Cloud-Connect — a solution designed to simplify payment integration in EV charging stations by leveraging the OCPI standard. Whether you’re installing new charge stations or retrofitting existing ones, Cloud-Connect offers a seamless connection between any CCV payment terminal and your charging stations through the CPMS backend.
Cloud-based solutions also allow scalability in terms of the user experience (UX), as they enable CPOs to update tariffs in real-time across locations. By attracting ad hoc drivers with a seamless, consistent user experience, it’s possible to boost revenue – also in the future.
Simplicity in implementation is key for CPOs seeking to move forward quickly. This comes with CCV Cloud-Connect.
Key Benefits of Cloud-Connect:
- Faster Integration: This makes integrating payments in EV charging smooth and more intuitive, enabling faster implementation with ease. Since CPMS providers are already experts in OCPI, charge point manufacturers and operators can focus on their core activities, trusting the payment integration to work seamlessly.
- Flexible Integration: CCV Cloud-Connect takes care of the compatibility with CCV’s entire payment terminal portfolio, while the single CPMS integration covers compatibility with multiple charge point brands. No more lengthy custom integrations. And it’s fully compatible with kiosk environments where one payment terminal serves payments for multiple charging stations. This flexibility is essential for managing large or multi-location networks efficiently.
- Future-proof Integration: With its maturity in the EV charging industry and a proven track record, OCPI was selected as CCV’s main communication protocol. It’s providing a stable and expandable basis for rapidly evolving market needs and regulations.
CCV chose OCPI 2.2.1 with its additional Direct Payments module as it provides compliance with today’s regulations active within the European Union and the United Kingdom. It offers a wide range of services to fulfil today's requirements for Charge Point Operators and CPMS providers.
Why CCV Terminals Ensure Payment Success
The CCV IM15 series and the CCV IM30 play a crucial role in ensuring a seamless payment experience at charging points. These terminals, designed for the unattended EV charging market, provide a familiar user experience similar to everyday shopping.
- PIN-on-glass: Repetitive use of contactless payments and payments exceeding specific amounts require PIN-confirmation. With PIN-on-glass, EV-drivers can benefit from the additional assurance that payment will be accepted, and they can continue their journey.
- Cloud-Connect ready: Whether you already have our terminals integrated or not and want to start using Cloud-Connect on new or existing install base, the CCV IM15 and IM30 are fully compatible.
- Multi-Payment Support: These terminals enable contactless payments and handle more complex PIN-on-glass transactions, ensuring compliance with card issuer requirements. This significantly improves card acceptance rates. With the IM30 you can expand this further with chip-card and magstripe payments.
Key Feature of the CCV IM15:
- Compact Design: The CCV IM15 series offers multiple installation options — whether front-mounted (Edge IM15) or flush-mounted (Frame IM15) — making it ideal for both new and retrofit projects without compromising on the aesthetics of your charging station or payment kiosk design.
Key Feature of the CCV IM30:
- Future-proof thanks to Android: The CCV IM30 will help you create the seamless purchase experience that your customers will love. This brand-new terminal runs on a self-contained, secure version of Android, with countless possibilities for customisation and use of applications. Android offers a familiar user interface for your customers.
By integrating the CCV payment terminals using Cloud-Connect, Charge Point Manufacturers and Operators and CPMS providers can reduce operational friction, increase payment acceptance, and deliver a better charging experience to end-users.
Why CPMS Providers Should Choose Cloud-Connect
For CPMS providers, integrating with Cloud-Connect offers significant advantages:
- Faster go-to-market: With standardized integration across multiple hardware brands, Cloud-Connect helps you drastically cut down setup times by eliminating the need for custom configurations.
- Improved Payment Flexibility: Support a wide range of payment methods, including contactless and PIN-on-glass, ensuring your customers’ charging stations are compliant with the latest security standards and regulations while enhancing the customer experience.