EVn

EVn is a proposed open standard and software platform intended to support interoperability in electric-vehicle energy ecosystems, coordinating charging, energy trading, and grid services among vehicles, charging stations, aggregators, and operators. It emphasizes scalability, security, and cross-border operability.

History and development of EVn trace to a 2017–2019 industry consortium, the EVn Alliance, with participation from automotive makers, utility firms, and technology vendors. In subsequent years, the specification was refined by independent researchers and published in draft form for public comment, with formal standardization efforts coordinated by a multi-lateral standards group. The project has since evolved through regional and international collaboration, incorporating feedback from pilots and early deployments.

Technical overview of EVn defines a common data model for energy transactions, status, and pricing, along with communicational layers based on RESTful APIs and publish-subscribe messaging (MQTT). It supports vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-building interactions, secure identity management, and privacy-preserving data sharing. The protocol is designed to operate over existing networks with low bandwidth requirements.

Architecture of EVn comprises edge devices (vehicles, chargers), edge gateways, and cloud services. Components provide authentication, transaction mediation, and real-time energy balancing. In deployment, a regional EVn directory helps route requests between participants, enabling scalable coordination across multiple providers and jurisdictions.

Applications and impact include dynamic charging optimization, peer-to-peer energy trading, demand-response participation, and fleet management. Adoption aims to improve grid stability, reduce costs, and enable cross-border energy marketplaces. Status and governance remain in flux, with ongoing discussions to harmonize data privacy, security, and liability frameworks.

See also: Vehicle-to-grid, ISO 15118, smart charging, energy marketplaces.