5 Understanding 5 Glossar

The most important terms in the field of charging infrastructure are explained here.

Ad-hoc price
Ad-hoc price refers to the price charged by the operator of a charging point or a refuelling station to an end user for point-to-point charging or refuelling (Article 2 No. 2 AFIR).

Automatic authentication
Automatic authentication describes the authentication of a vehicle at a charging point via the charging plug or telematics (see Article 2 No. 8 AFIR).

Bidirectional charging
Bidirectional charging refers to an smart charging process in which the direction of the current flow can be reversed so that current can also flow from the battery to the charging point to which it is connected (Article 2 No. 11 AFIR).

BNetzA – Bundesnetzagentur (Federal Network Agency)
The Federal Network Agency for Electricity, Gas, Telecommunications, Post and Railways, or Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA) for short, is a German federal authority in the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of the Economy. As the highest German regulatory authority, its tasks consist of maintaining and promoting competition in so-called network markets, which also include the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. Since March 2016, all public charging points must be registered with the BNetzA.

CPO – Charge Point Operator
The CPO is the charging station operator who is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the charging station. However, the CPO does not necessarily need to be the owner of the charging station.

Charging point
Charging point refers to a fixed or mobile, grid-connected or off-grid interface for the transfer of electricity to an electric vehicle, which may have one or more connections for different types of connections, but at which only one electric vehicle can be charged at a time, with the exception of devices with a charging capacity of 3.7 kW or less, the main purpose of which is not the charging of electric vehicles (Article 2 No. 48 AFIR).

  • Fast charging point denotes a charging point with a capacity of more than 22 kW for the supply of electricity to an electric vehicle (Article 2 No. 31 AFIR).
  • Normal charging point denotes a charging point with an output of 22 kW or less for the supply of electricity to an electric vehicle (Article 2 No. 37 AFIR).

Charging power
Charging power means the theoretical maximum power, expressed in kW, that a charging point, charging station, charging location or shore-side power supply facility can deliver to vehicles or vessels connected to that charging point, charging station, charging location or facility (Article 2 No. 44 AFIR).

Charging procedure
Charging procedure refers to the entire process of charging a vehicle at a publicly accessible charging point from the time the vehicle is connected until it is disconnected (Article 2 No. 54 AFIR).

Charging station (often also “charging column”)
Charging station refers to a physical installation at a specific location consisting of one or more charging points (Article 2 No. 52 AFIR).

If more than one vehicle is charged simultaneously at a charging station, the maximum charging power is divided between the individual charging points so that the power at each individual charging point is less than the charging power of the entire charging station (see AFIR (10)).

    Digitally connected charging point
    Digitally connected charging point refers to a charging point that can send and receive information in real time, can communicate bidirectionally with the electricity grid and the electric vehicle, and can be monitored and controlled remotely, including to start and stop the charging process and measure the current flow. By 14 October 2024, CPOs must ensure that all publicly accessible charging points they operate are digitally connected charging points (see Article 2 No. 17 AFIR).

    Electric vehicle
    Electric vehicle denotes a motor vehicle with a powertrain that contains at least one non-peripheral electric motor as an energy converter with an electrically rechargeable energy storage system that can be charged externally (Article 2 No. 22 AFIR).

    EMP – E-Mobility-Provider (MSP, EMSP)
    The EMP is the provider of the power enabling mobility (sometimes also MSP – Mobility Service Provider or EMSP – E-Mobility Service Provider) that enables its customers to charge their electric vehicles at specific charging stations at contractually agreed rates. The number of charging stations that the EMP can offer its customers will depend on how many charging stations it has negotiated access for with their CPOs in exchange for usage fees. A company can also be both in one – EMP and CPO. Each customer of the EMP receives a customer card (also called a charging card or fuel card) and/or access to a charging app. Using the charging card or app, EMP customers can identify themselves at the charging stations that are included in their plan, thus enabling charging at the charging station and paying according to their agreed tariff.

    E-roaming
    E-roaming refers to the transfer of data and payments between the operator of a charging point or charging station and a mobility service provider from which an end user purchases a charging or refuelling service (Article 2 No. 25 AFIR).

    Plug & Charge
    Plug & Charge is a function of charging stations with which charging procedures can be commenced or terminated by connecting or disconnecting the charging cable. This process is regulated by ISO standard 15118, which means the need to hold a charging card is eliminated.

      Plug, plug type
      Plug or coupling or connection means the physical interface between the charging point or dispensing point and the vehicle through which the fuel or electrical energy is exchanged (Article 2 No. 12 AFIR).

      • Typ 2
        An EU-wide standard plug type that allows charging with alternating current (AC) up to 22 kW.
      • CCS/Combo 2
        EU-wide standard plug type that also enables charging above 22 kW power with direct current (DC). The Combo 2 plug consists of the Type 2 plug (in the upper part), which has been supplemented by 2 contacts for transmitting direct current. The direct current with outputs of up to 350 kW (as at today) is transmitted via the 2 pins located in the lower section.
      • CHAdeMO
        Another connector type that is declining in relevance in Europe. It is used for fast charging or DC charging, especially for charging Asian vehicles.
      • MCS plug
        Worldwide uniform standard plug type under development that enables e-truck charging with a rating of over 1,000 kW (= 1 megawatt = 1 MW). Technically, charging capacities of up to 4.5 MW at 1,500 V and 3,000 A are theoretically possible with this standard. The design of the MCS plug is triangular, with the tip pointing downwards. The two upper corners of the plug are used to accommodate the two DC pins, while the other, smaller pins are used for earthing. The pins for communication are located in the middle and at the bottom. The MCS plug is expected to be on the market in 2024.

      Publicly accessible charging points can also be privately owned charging points that are accessible to the public and are located on public or private land, such as public car parks or supermarket car parks.

      Charging points located on publicly accessible private land should also be considered publicly accessible if access is restricted to a general user group, such as customers.

      Charging points of carsharing services are only considered publicly accessible if non-customers are explicitly allowed access.

      Charging points on private property to which only a limited, specific group of people have access, for example car parks of office buildings to which only employees or authorised persons have access, are not considered publicly accessible charging points (see AFIR (11)).

        Smart charging
        Smart charging refers to a charging process in which the amount of power delivered to the battery is adjusted based on electronically transmitted real-time information. CPOs must ensure that all publicly accessible charging points operated by them that are installed after 13 April 2024 or repaired after 14 October 2024 are capable of smart charging (see Article 5 No. 8 AFIR).

          Smart Meter Gateway
          As the central communication unit of an intelligent metering system, a Smart Meter Gateway (SMGW) collates the consumption data from the networked electricity meters, where it is stored and forwarded. Integrated into the electrical system, an SMGW can communicate with controllable consumption devices (e.g. heat pumps for building heating, wallboxes, etc.) or with energy generation systems (e.g. PV systems) in the so-called home area network (HAN). The SMGW is also able to communicate with third parties, for example the distribution grid operator. In this way, control signals can be transmitted when needed and controllable consumers can have their power consumption reduced or increased in order to keep the power grid stable. The special feature is that the communication of the SMGW meets the highest security requirements and communicates in an encrypted format.

            Spot charging (ad-hoc charging)
            Spot charging refers to a charging service that is purchased by an end user without this end user having to register, conclude a written agreement or enter into a business relationship with the operator of the charging point that goes beyond the mere purchase of the charging service (Article 2 No. 47 AFIR).

              State of Charge (SOC)
              The term State of Charge (SOC) refers to how much energy is still stored in the battery, expressed as a percentage of the maximum available capacity. A SOC of 100% means that the battery is fully charged, while a SOC of 0% indicates that the battery is depleted and no longer contains any energy. The SOC is an important value to monitor and optimise the energy demand and range of electric vehicles.

                V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) / Bidirectional Charging
                Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) is the use of battery storage of an electric vehicle for the purpose of off-loading electricity. It represents the principle of two-way energy flow (bidirectional), in that the energy is transferred from the electricity grid to the vehicle battery and can also be fed back into the grid from the battery. This is done via a bidirectional charging station. In this way, electric vehicle fleets can serve as energy storage units. Explicitly, the battery of the electric vehicle stores surplus energy from renewable sources, so the battery acts as a temporary storage of electrical energy. This allows the fluctuating yields from solar and wind energy to be cushioned and, at the same time, the power grid is kept in balance. In this way, electric cars contribute to grid stability and cover peak loads.

                Wallbox
                A wallbox (less commonly known as a wall charging station) is a charging device for electric vehicles. It is usually more compact than a charging column and is permanently mounted on a wall or pillar, for example at private residences. A wallbox for charging with alternating current typically has a Type 2 socket or a permanently attached cable and, in addition to controlling the charging, usually also contains options for restricting access (key switch, RFID card reader), protection technology (FI circuit breaker) or energy meters. Wallboxes for charging with direct current are less common. These are considerably more expensive than AC charging systems due to the built-in rectifiers.