EU: Releases new standards for charging piles

EU: Releases new standards for charging piles

On June 18, 2025, the European Union issued Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/656, which revised EU Regulation 2023/1804 on wireless charging standards, electric road systems, vehicle-to-vehicle communications and hydrogen supply for road transport vehicles.

In accordance with the latest regulatory requirements, AC/DC public charging points for electric vehicles (light and heavy-duty vehicles) installed or retrofitted from 8 January 2026 onwards shall comply with the following standards for interoperability purposes:

• EN ISO 15118-1:2019 General information and use case definitions;
• EN ISO 15118-2:2016 Network and application layer protocol requirements;
• EN ISO 15118-3:2016 Physical and data link layer requirements;
• EN ISO 15118-4:2019 Network and application protocol conformity testing;
• EN ISO 15118-5:2019 Physical and data link layer conformity testing.

As the ‘common language’ between electric vehicles and charging points, the ISO 15118 protocol defines core functions such as plug-and-charge and intelligent power management. It represents a key technical standard for enhancing user experience and driving vehicle-to-charging-point interoperability. Originally drafted by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), this standard aims to ensure interoperability, intelligent charging, and enhanced safety during the charging process. It is now widely adopted globally.

Relevant manufacturers must be aware of these standards applicable to both public charging facilities and private charging points. To ensure a swift transition, enterprises should reference these standards when launching new products and, where technically feasible, upgrade existing products as soon as possible to meet the new regulatory requirements.