---
title: 'Plug & Charge, explained'
description: 'How ISO 15118 lets you just plug in — no app, no RFID — and what it means for drivers, operators, and roaming.'
author: yacine
date: '2026-04-02'
categories:
  - product
  - charging
tags:
  - iso-15118
  - plug-and-charge
  - roaming
imgSocial: plug-and-charge-explained.webp
imgThumb: plug-and-charge-explained.webp
toc_depth: 3
---

**Plug & Charge** (ISO 15118) is the standard that lets an EV and a charger authenticate each other automatically. You plug the cable in; billing can start without opening an app or tapping a card.

It is the closest thing charging has to “tap to pay,” except the credential lives in the vehicle and the contract is issued by your eMSP. Support is growing across Europe, but it is not universal yet — which is why we treat it as a first-class path next to app and RFID, not a magic default.

## How it works

At a high level:

1. Your vehicle holds a **contract certificate** issued by your eMSP (that is us, when you enroll with easyplug).
2. The charger presents its own identity and establishes a secure TLS session over the cable.
3. Contract credentials are exchanged; the CPO / eMSP path authorizes energy.
4. Metering data flows for settlement the same way as any other session.

There is more crypto and PKI under the hood. Drivers should not have to care about any of it for a happy path — only when enrollment fails or a network does not support the feature.

## Why drivers care

No fumbling with phones in the rain. No “wrong network” errors because you opened the wrong app. If both sides support Plug & Charge and you are enrolled, you plug in and leave.

The catch: if the station does **not** support it, you still need RFID or remote start. A mature eMSP app should tell you that *before* you rely on the cable alone.

## Why operators care

Higher conversion at the charger, fewer failed starts from app friction, and cleaner audit trails when certificates are provisioned correctly. Combined with OCPP and proper roaming, the site feels like one product instead of a patchwork of stickers and QR codes.

## How easyplug approaches it

We enroll vehicles and contract certificates as part of the **same driver account** as app and RFID. History and invoices stay unified. The agent can surface whether Plug & Charge is available for a given stop so you know when you can truly “just plug in.”

## What’s next

Compare all three methods in [App, RFID, or Plug & Charge](/blog/driver-app-vs-rfid-vs-plug-and-charge). Operators starting from hardware should read [OCPP for operators](/blog/ocpp-for-operators).

→ [Learn more about the product](/#features)