ISO 15118-20: what changes for EV charging in Europe from 2027

From 1 January 2027, new requirements under the EU’s Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) will apply to newly installed or renovated charging points covered by the regulation, including both publicly accessible and private installations. These requirements centre on ISO 15118-20, the technical standard that defines how electric vehicles and chargers exchange information.

Daze has updated its charging range in preparation for these requirements, from wallboxes for home charging to solutions for shared residential and workplace car parks. If you’re choosing a charger or planning an installation, the practical questions are which rules apply to your project and which features you can expect from the setup you choose.

The Daze range is ready for the new requirements

From December 2026, Dazebox One, Share, Pro, Duo, Urban and Stilo will be available in updated configurations designed for the 2027 requirements. The range covers everything from wallboxes for home garages to charging solutions for apartment buildings, workplace car parks and publicly accessible sites.

ISO 15118-20 hardware is built in

The updated configurations come with ISO 15118-20-ready hardware built into the charger, so there’s no need for a separate device.

ISO 15118-20: how vehicles and chargers communicate

ISO 15118-20 defines the rules for exchanging information between an electric vehicle and a charger, allowing compatible devices to communicate and coordinate charging.

It is an international technical standard within the ISO 15118 family. It also sets out the communication requirements for bidirectional power transfer, enabling the vehicle to receive electricity and, in compatible systems, supply it back. However, compliance with the standard does not automatically mean that every charger provides this capability.

Ultimately, ISO 15118-20 defines how the vehicle and the charging infrastructure exchange information. 

What AFIR requires from 1 January 2027

AFIR stands for Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation. It is the EU regulation governing infrastructure for alternative fuels, including EV charging points. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/656 updates its Annex II.

Publicly accessible AC and DC charging points for light- and heavy-duty electric vehicles installed or renovated from 1 January 2027 must comply with at least EN ISO 15118-20:2022. If they offer automatic authentication and authorisation services, such as Plug & Charge, they must also comply with EN ISO 15118-2:2016.

For private charging points installed or renovated from the same date, the ISO 15118-20 requirement applies to Mode 3 and Mode 4 charging. Mode 2 charging is instead subject to EN IEC 61851-1:2019.

Being designed to support a feature is not the same as already meeting a requirement. A product described as “ready” may need additional components or updates before a feature becomes available. Compliance means that the product meets the applicable requirements. It is therefore important to check the hardware, the software and the documentation for the specific version being installed.

Plug & Charge and bidirectional charging: what they can enable

Plug & Charge allows drivers to connect the cable and start charging without using an app or charging card to identify themselves each time, once the service has been set up. In compatible systems, the vehicle and charging infrastructure automatically identify the charging contract and check that the session can be authorised.

For this to work, the vehicle, charger and services managing the charging session must all be compatible. Support for the standard in just one component is not enough.

Bidirectional charging allows energy stored in the vehicle’s battery to be used outside the vehicle. Depending on the system, it can supply a building or feed electricity back into the grid. The latter is known as V2G, short for Vehicle-to-Grid.

ISO 15118-20 defines the communication needed for this, but the standard alone does not make it possible. The vehicle and charger must also be capable of transferring energy in the required direction, the electrical installation must be suitable, and the applicable connection requirements must be met.

When choosing a charger, it is therefore important to distinguish between support for the protocol, features available today and features planned for the future.

Public and private charging: understanding the distinction

A charger in a home garage or a residential car park reserved for residents will generally be considered non-public. The same may apply to a workplace car park used exclusively by authorised employees.

However, a charging station on privately owned land can still be publicly accessible. This may be the case when a business makes charging available to its customers. Private ownership, charging fees or certain access conditions do not, on their own, make a charging point non-public.

For business and hospitality projects, the actual access arrangements should therefore be established before determining which obligations apply.

Do existing chargers need to be replaced?

The provisions discussed here do not introduce a blanket requirement to replace all existing wallboxes in 2027.

The European requirements described apply to charging points installed or renovated from the dates specified in the regulation. If work is planned on an existing charging point, the manufacturer and installer should assess whether it falls within the scope of those provisions and which requirements apply.

If you already own a charger, you should not assume that it will become unusable—or that a software update will necessarily be enough to meet the new requirements. The available options depend on its hardware and the manufacturer’s documented guidance.

Choosing the right charging point for your project

Whether you’re installing a charger at home, in an apartment building or at work, the right choice depends on your electrical installation and how the charging point will be used. The Daze team and your installer can help you choose the right model, configuration and any accessories you need. Explore the full Daze range