Plug & Charge depends on the charge point equipment and the EV both being compliant. A Plug & Charge connection can only be established once certain technical requirements and certifications are met:
The EV must be compatible with Plug & Charge and have a Plug & Charge certificate installed - you can find more information on certification in the steps below.
The charge point must have Plug & Charge capability implemented (this is the responsibility of the charge point operator e.g. Fastned, Osprey, MER). As it stands, only IONITY and MFG charge points are compatible with Plug & Charge.
If both of these requirements are met, once the EV is plugged into the charge point, an encrypted connection is established - also known as a TLS (transport layer security) handshake. Incidentally, this is what differentiates Plug & Charge from Autocharge.
During this handshake, the charge point presents its digital certificates to identify its legitimacy - the EV will verify these certificates to inspect signatures and expiration dates. If verified successfully, the TLS handshake is complete, and the charge will start within a few seconds!
For more information on Plug & Charge and whether your vehicle is compatible, head to our "What is Plug & Charge?" blog!