Moving from OCPP 1.6 to 2.0.1 without taking chargers offline.

OCPP 2.0.1 is a redesign, not an update. Security moves from an optional extension to three defined security profiles with TLS and certificate management. Configuration moves from flat key-value pairs to a device model the backend can query. Sessions carry mid-transaction updates, and the protocol supports ISO 15118 Plug & Charge and richer smart charging schedules.

Security profiles

Basic authentication, TLS with basic authentication, or TLS with client certificates, plus certificate installation and renewal over the protocol.

Device model

The backend can discover what each charger supports instead of relying on vendor-specific configuration keys.

Transactions

Sessions report events and meter values during the session, not only at start and stop.

Plug & Charge and smart charging

ISO 15118 handshakes and composite, priority-based charging profiles are part of the protocol flow.

It depends on where the money and the chargers are. NEVI-funded stations in the US must conform to OCPP 2.0.1 under 23 CFR 680.108. The UK regulations do not set an OCPP version, but they require OCPI open data and 99% rapid-network reliability, which is easier to prove with 2.0.1 status data. Elsewhere, hardware age usually decides the timing.

Run both versions side by side. A dual-stack CSMS accepts OCPP 1.6 and 2.0.1 connections and routes each charger by the version it reports, so sessions, billing and reporting work the same either way. Chargers then move to 2.0.1 firmware in small batches, and units that cannot be upgraded stay on 1.6 until they are replaced.

1. Audit

List every charger model, firmware version and upgrade path, and how each one behaves today.

2. Dual-stack backend

Add 2.0.1 next to 1.6 in the CSMS, with one session, tariff and reporting model above both.

3. Pilot

Upgrade a few chargers per model at low-traffic sites and compare sessions and faults with the 1.6 baseline.

4. Phased rollout

Upgrade by site and model, with a tested rollback path for every firmware batch.

For a mid-size network, Codibly estimates 6 to 12 months in total: 2 to 3 months of backend changes, 1 to 2 months of integration testing, and 3 to 6 months of phased firmware rollout. Charger vendors set much of the pace, because firmware availability and certification vary by model.

Build for 2.0.1 and keep 2.1 in view. OCPP 2.1 was released in 2025 and builds on 2.0.1, so application logic written for 2.0.1 carries over, according to the Open Charge Alliance. It adds bidirectional charging and distributed energy control, which matter if your sites will manage batteries, solar or vehicle-to-grid.

An auditable status history per port. NEVI calculates uptime monthly over the previous twelve months and excludes outages outside the operator’s control, such as grid failures. The UK measures rapid-network reliability from OCPI status data over the calendar year. Both need timestamps you can trust and outage causes recorded at the time.