chargecloud and Hubject extend Plug & Charge to AC charging

chargecloud and Hubject announced a technical partnership in Berlin that brings automatic vehicle authentication to AC charging points using ISO 15118-2. The rollout lets chargecloud’s CPO customers enable Plug & Charge without extra integration, targeting the places where most EV charging happens.

Why it matters: - AC charging accounts for most EV charging, including fleet depots, company car parks, municipal networks and retail locations. - The partnership aims to make Plug & Charge available where drivers charge most often, not just at DC fast chargers. - Automatic authentication can reduce friction for drivers and cut support work for charge point operators.

What happened: - chargecloud and Hubject announced a technical partnership at ICNC 2026 in Berlin. - chargecloud is integrating Hubject’s PKI into its Charge Point Management System and chargecloud OS. - The integration enables Plug & Charge for AC charging points. - chargecloud’s CPO customers will receive the feature automatically, without additional integration or effort.

The details: - Hubject operates the Public Key Infrastructure that serves as the trust anchor for standards-compliant Plug & Charge under ISO 15118. - The system authenticates a vehicle automatically when it connects to a compatible AC charger. - The process uses a certificate stored in the vehicle. - Drivers do not need an app, RFID card or interaction with the charger display. - The setup requires an ISO 15118-2-compatible charging point, a suitably equipped vehicle and a valid contract stored in the vehicle by a Plug & Charge-enabled e-mobility provider. - chargecloud says the feature will be activated as part of rollout for charging points whose hardware meets the requirements, ideally Hubject-certified devices with full ISO 15118-2 implementation. - A pilot phase with the first CPOs is already running. - Hubject also certifies hardware and vehicles and maintains public lists of certified manufacturers and vehicle models.

Between the lines: - The move closes a gap in EV charging infrastructure, where Plug & Charge has been more common on DC fast chargers than on AC networks. - The partnership gives chargecloud a ready-to-use feature instead of asking operators to build their own technical integration. - The pitch is as much about convenience as security, since the system is designed to replace cards and manual authentication that can fail or be misused. - Most electric vehicles already support Plug & Charge, which could make adoption faster once charger hardware is ready.

What's next: - chargecloud and Hubject are moving through a pilot with early CPO customers. - Wider availability will depend on charger hardware meeting ISO 15118-2 requirements. - The companies are positioning the integration for broader rollout across AC charging networks.

The bottom line: - The partnership brings automated EV authentication to the part of the market where most charging happens, which could make Plug & Charge more practical at scale.