An Interoperability Framework for electromobility (INFRA): The main results from the USER-CHI framework implementation in a new spotlight

In 2021 the number of electric vehicles (EV) circulating in the European Union (EU) was higher than ever before. The innovative solutions of the user centric charging infrastructure (USER-CHI) project aim at devising the basic guidelines for an interoperable charging infrastructure for EV. The future goal is for users to be able to charge “anywhere, anytime”. USER-CHI works towards a large-scale e-mobility market and the development of integrated smart solutions and new business models. These will be demonstrated in five urban areas, which are part of the Trans-European Transport Network corridor (Barcelona metropolitan area, Rome, Berlin, Budapest, and Turku). To make access to the charging infrastructure possible irrespectively of vehicle brands and operators, an analysis of the existing interoperability framework was considered essential within the USER-CHI project. Pursuant to this, the Institute for Climate Protection, Energy and Mobility (IKEM) developed INFRA (Interoperability Framework), a study that contains an analysis of the four layers that condition interoperability in the electromobility sector (organizational, semantic, technical and legal). Building on this analysis, the existing barriers for interoperability in each layer were identified and guidelines and recommendations were elaborated. The baseline of this paper are the role schemes, guidelines and recommendations elaborated for INFRA summarized in minimum requirements within each layer. The INFRA results are already available on CORDIS. In addition, further desk research shows the latest developments in the EU regarding electromobility and puts INFRA in the context of the most recent discourse. The new insights of this paper offer an updated overall short summary of the main requirements for an interoperability framework for electromobility in the EU. In conclusion the current developments underline the importance of the minimum requirements identified in INFRA and first steps towards a more interoperable infrastructure system have been taken.