Plug & Charge
chargecloud and Hubject bring automatic vehicle authentication to AC charging points

Cologne, 1 September 2026: chargecloud, a European provider of cloud-based software solutions for charging infrastructure, and Hubject, a specialist in e-roaming and Plug & Charge infrastructure, have announced a technical partnership at icnc26 in Berlin: chargecloud is integrating Hubject’s PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) into its Charge Point Management System (CPMS), thereby enabling Plug & Charge for AC charging points as well. chargecloud’s CPO customers will receive this feature automatically, without the need for additional integration or effort.

In practice, DC fast chargers have so far been almost the only ones to support Plug & Charge, even though the vast majority of all charging takes place on AC infrastructure: at fleet depots, in company car parks, on municipal networks and at retail outlets. Technically, Plug & Charge has been defined for AC charging for years. In this area of application, it is often the same users who charge their vehicles daily and who stand to benefit most from seamless, automated authentication.

Plug & Charge is now available at AC charging points

By integrating the Hubject PKI into the chargecloud OS (operating system), chargecloud is closing this gap. As soon as a vehicle is connected to a compatible AC charging point, it automatically authenticates itself using a certificate stored in the vehicle. Neither an app nor an RFID card nor any interaction with the display is necessary. This 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 (EMP).

Partnership: Hubject’s PKI, chargecloud’s CPMS integration

Hubject operates the Public Key Infrastructure, which forms the technical foundation for Plug & Charge. Without this central ‘trust anchor’, a standards-compliant implementation in accordance with ISO 15118 is not possible. Hubject also ensures the certification of hardware and vehicles and maintains publicly accessible lists of certified manufacturers and vehicle models.

chargecloud integrates this infrastructure into the chargecloud OS and provides Plug & Charge as a ready-to-use feature for CPO customers. Charging infrastructure operators do not need to implement their own technical integration. The feature is automatically activated as part of the roll-out for all 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.

Authentication without an app, card or display

For chargecloud’s CPO customers, this integration means they can offer their users a very convenient and – compared to RFID cards, for example – secure method of authentication: the charging process starts automatically when the cable is plugged in. In this way, charging infrastructure operators can create better user experience for their end customers. Fewer sources of error also mean less support work for the CPO. Most electric vehicles already support Plug & Charge.

“Plug & Charge has proven itself on DC fast chargers, but its real potential lies in the AC sector, where most of all charging takes place and where the same vehicles often charge on a regular basis. By integrating the Hubject PKI into our OS, we are now making the technology accessible for this segment too – without any additional integration effort for our CPO customers,” says Oliver Adrian, COO & CRO of chargecloud GmbH. “This is an important step towards making charging as simple as possible and eliminating potential sources of error such as counterfeit cards and faulty or reflective displays – simply plug in, charge, and drive on.”

"Most drivers charge at home or work, not on the road. Extending Plug & Charge to chargecloud's AC network brings that seamless experience to where people actually charge most often. That's a significant step toward Plug & Charge becoming available everywhere drivers charge." Christian Hahn, CEO, Hubject.