ISO 15118-1:2019

Overview

ISO 15118-1:2019 - part of the ISO/IEC vehicle-to-grid (V2G) series - defines general information, terms, definitions and use-case scope for high-level communication (HLC) between the electric vehicle communication controller (EVCC) and the supply equipment communication controller (SECC). It applies to both conductive and wireless power transfer and covers manual or automatic connection devices. The standard establishes a common, interoperable EV–EVSE communication interface for bidirectional energy transfer (charging and discharge/V2G), and frames topics such as identification, authorization, charge/discharge control, payment, load levelling, cybersecurity and privacy.

Key Topics and Requirements

ISO 15118-1:2019 provides the baseline and requirements that guide later message and protocol specifics in the ISO 15118 series, including:

• Terms and definitions for EV-EVSE communications and architectures (EVCC, SECC, HLC).
• General communication requirements for reliable, interoperable HLC.
• User-, OEM- and utility-specific requirements (reliability, privacy, ease of use, power limits).
• Wireless communication requirements covering discovery, pairing and secure link setup for WPT (wireless power transfer).
• Use-case elements: discovery, communication setup, certificate handling, identification & authorization, pairing & fine positioning, target setting and scheduling, energy transfer control and rescheduling, metering and end-of-charge procedures.
• Security and privacy considerations including certificate handling, authentication (contract certificates and external credentials) and traceability.
• Support for reverse power transfer (V2G) and managed bidirectional services, enabling load levelling and grid-support functions.
• Independence from specific physical data link layers while accommodating data link layers specified in related parts.

Applications and Who Uses It

ISO 15118-1 is essential for stakeholders building interoperable EV charging and V2G ecosystems, including:

• EV OEMs implementing EVCC components and certificate-based authentication.
• EVSE manufacturers designing SECC interfaces for conductive and wireless chargers.
• Charge point operators (CPOs) and utilities integrating smart charging, load levelling and V2G services.
• Energy aggregators, home energy management system (HEMS) vendors and integrators offering scheduling and vehicle-to-home/grid services.
• Cybersecurity architects and payment service providers implementing secure authentication and transaction flows.

Practical uses include smart charging, scheduled charging, bidirectional energy services, contactless charging scenarios, interoperable roaming between networks, and secure automated payment/authorization.

Related Standards

• ISO 15118 series (notably ISO 15118-2 and the evolving ISO 15118-20) - message set and protocol specifics.
• IEC 61851-1 - referenced for conductive charging scenarios and coexistence with HLC.

Keywords: ISO 15118-1, vehicle-to-grid, V2G, EV charging, EVSE, EVCC, SECC, high-level communication, wireless power transfer, smart charging, bidirectional charging, cybersecurity, contract certificates, load levelling.