There are many abbreviations used in the charging station industry. Below you will find an overview of the most commonly used abbreviations.
CPO: The Charge Point Operator (CPO) is responsible for both the technical and administrative management, maintenance, and operation of charging stations.
OCPP: The Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) is a protocol that describes how the communication between the electric vehicle charging point and the back-office system should take place. OCPP ensures that different systems can communicate with each other in a uniform way.
OCPI: The Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI) is an open protocol used for connections between charging station operators and service providers. This protocol facilitates automated roaming for EV drivers between different EV charging networks. OCPI supports affordability and accessibility of charging infrastructure for electric vehicle owners, enabling drivers to charge via different networks. The protocol provides accurate data about charging stations, such as location, accessibility, and prices, and enables real-time billing and mobile access to charging stations.
OICP: The Open Intercharge Protocol (OICP) was developed by Hubject, a collaboration of German automotive and energy companies. Together with OCPI, OICP provides a solution for ad-hoc payments and a contractual framework for roaming electric vehicles. OICP supports various use cases, including roaming via the Hubject platform, ad-hoc payments, authorizations, real-time exchange of information about charging points, billing, and reservations.
MSP (or EMP): A Mobility Service Provider (MSP) or eMobility Operator (EMP) is an organization with which an electric vehicle owner has a contract for all services related to charging the vehicle. The MSP/EMP provides charging cards and often takes on the role of other stakeholders, such as the energy supplier or CPO.
CDR: A Charge Detail Record (CDR) describes the charging session and associated costs. It includes information such as the location, charging point, rates, and the used charging card at the time of the charging session. CDRs are primarily used for billing purposes.
EVSE: An Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) is the technical term for a charging point or charging station. Each charging point has a unique identification code, the EVSE-ID. This code consists of the country code (2 letters), the party-ID (3 letters), the ID type, the ID of the charging station, and the ID of the charging point.
POI: POI stands for Point of Interest. It refers to a specific location of interest, such as a charging station.
UID: UID stands for Unique ID, which is a technical term for your charging card or user identification.