What Is OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol)?

OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol) is the open communication standard between a charger and a backend management platform, letting chargers from different manufacturers be monitored, controlled, and billed through the same software rather than being locked to one vendor's app.

Why an Open Standard Matters

Before open protocols like OCPP existed, a charge point operator running chargers from three different manufacturers typically needed three different apps or backends to manage them, with no way to see the whole network in one place. OCPP fixes that: any OCPP-compliant charger can connect to any OCPP-compliant management platform, regardless of who built the hardware.

That matters most for operators managing more than a handful of chargers, or anyone who wants the freedom to switch software platforms later without replacing hardware.

What It Actually Controls

Over OCPP, a management platform can start and stop charging sessions remotely, push firmware updates, receive real-time status and fault reporting, apply load management and tariff rules, and pull usage data for billing and reporting — all without a technician needing to be physically at the charger.

Neutron's Approach

Our hardware is OCPP-compliant and connects to Electron, our own management platform, for fleet-wide monitoring, remote control, and billing across every connected charger.

Do I need OCPP for a single home charger?

Not necessarily. OCPP matters most once you're managing multiple chargers, need remote monitoring, or want the option to switch management platforms without replacing hardware. A single home charger can work fine on a manufacturer's own app without it.

What's the difference between OCPP and ISO 15118?

They cover different links in the chain. ISO 15118 governs communication between the vehicle and the charger over the charging cable. OCPP governs communication between the charger and a backend management platform over the network. A session can use both at once.