ISO 15118 is the international standard that governs digital communication between an EV and a charger over the charging cable, forming the technical foundation for Plug & Charge and future bidirectional charging.
What It Actually Standardises
Before ISO 15118, an EV and a charger exchanged only basic analogue signals over the control pilot pin: essentially, "how much power is available" and "how much the vehicle wants." ISO 15118 adds a full digital communication layer on top of that, carried over the same cable using powerline communication (PLC), allowing vehicle and charger to exchange richer information: vehicle identity, authentication certificates, charging schedules, and — in the latest version — power flow direction for bidirectional charging.
ISO 15118-2 vs. ISO 15118-20
The standard has evolved in two major versions. ISO 15118-2 introduced Plug & Charge authentication and basic digital communication for AC and DC charging. ISO 15118-20, the current generation, extends this to support bidirectional power flow (the technical basis for V2G, V2H, and V2L), wireless power transfer, and communication suited to high-power and megawatt-class DC charging.
Neutron's Approach
Our DC terminals and Master Units support ISO 15118 communication for Plug & Charge authentication where the connected vehicle allows it, with our Megawatt Charging Terminals built with an upgrade path toward the newer 15118-20 capabilities as vehicle-side support becomes standard.
Does every EV and charger support ISO 15118?
No. Support varies by vehicle and charger model and generation. Where either side doesn't support it, charging still works over the underlying CCS or Type 2 connector, but falls back to RFID, app, or PIN authentication instead of Plug & Charge.
What's the difference between ISO 15118-2 and ISO 15118-20?
ISO 15118-2 is the earlier version, covering Plug & Charge authentication and basic communication. ISO 15118-20 extends this to support bidirectional charging (V2G), wireless power transfer, and more flexible communication for high-power DC and megawatt-class charging.
Planning for bidirectional charging down the line?
Our megawatt terminals are built with an upgrade path to the latest ISO 15118 capabilities.
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