It’s a dream that will come true. Charging electric cars will become as simple as filling up with gas in 2025, thanks to a new universal protocol that promises to revolutionize the user experience. This major breakthrough comes at the right time as the electric vehicle market continues to grow and charging infrastructure proliferates. No more proprietary cables and multiple charging standards!
Technology that radically simplifies charging
The “Plug and Charge” protocol represents a major advance in the electric charging ecosystem. Its principle is disconcertingly simple: you just need to plug in your vehicle for charging to start automatically, without any additional handling. No more multiple applications, RFID cards or complex payment procedures.
This technology, already adopted by Tesla since its beginnings, will now become widespread thanks to a partnership between SAE International, a consortium of automobile manufacturers, charging operators and the Biden administration. The project, estimated at $1.5 million, is entirely funded by the participating companies.
The system is based on a Certified Trust List which allows automatic and secure authentication as soon as the vehicle is plugged in. This approach also allows roaming, thus offering the possibility of using multiple infrastructures in an interoperable and transparent manner.
Multiple benefits for the electricity ecosystem
The new protocol brings major innovations in terms of security and advanced features:
- Secure V2G (vehicle-to-grid) communication allowing vehicles to send energy back to the grid
- Strengthened protection against cybercrime thanks to digital certificates
- Intelligent management of electricity network loads
- Automatic and transparent invoicing
This standardization should considerably improve the recharge experience, particularly for iPhone users who will be able to integrate their payment information directly into Apple Wallet.
Gradual but promising adoption
Many car manufacturers have already integrated this technology into their vehicles. Among the currently compatible models, we find:
- The complete Tesla range (Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X, Cybertruck)
- The Ford F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E
- The Audi e-tron GT, Q4 e-tron and Q8 e-tron
- The Mercedes-Benz EQB, EQE and EQS
- The Chevrolet Blazer EV and Silverado EV
Some manufacturers like Hyundai and Kia also plan to extend this functionality to their entire electric range in the near future. The Korean brand already offers this technology in Europe on the Ioniq 6 and the new EV9.
Obviously, as the standard is American, it is mainly vehicles from across the Atlantic which are primarily concerned. If the standard begins to be massively adopted, there is no doubt that our dear European and Japanese manufacturers will also get started – with a delay, as usual. A question mark remains in the case of Chinese cars which will probably have difficulty adopting an American standard.
A significant impact on the adoption of electric vehicles
This standardization comes at a crucial time when the electric vehicle market is experiencing significant growth. Simplifying charging should remove one of the last major obstacles to the mass adoption of electric vehicles.
The initiative is all the more remarkable as it is supported by the industry itself, which should guarantee its sustainability regardless of political changes. Gabe Klein, executive director of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, points out that “market dynamics have taken over.”
Although this initiative was taken by the Biden administration, there is no doubt that Donald Trump will pursue it with equal vigor. The companies concerned are hopeful that the president-elect, usually resistant to electric vehicles, has watered his wine with the help of Elon Musk. See you in 2025 to see the first universal chargers operating in the United States, and undoubtedly several years later in our regions.
