OCPP 1.6-J is still the protocol running on the majority of charging hardware deployed today. OCPP 2.0.1 has been the published standard for several years, but adoption has lagged — not because operators don't want the improvements, but because a protocol upgrade touches every charger on a network, and hardware vendors have been slow and uneven in shipping compliant firmware.
What 2.0.1 actually adds
The headline change is device management: 2.0.1 defines a standard way to push firmware updates, manage configuration, and monitor diagnostics across a fleet, where 1.6 left most of that to vendor-specific extensions. It also adds native support for ISO 15118, the standard behind plug-and-charge — a driver plugs in and is authenticated and billed automatically, no RFID card or app required.
Security is tighter too. 2.0.1 mandates TLS and certificate-based authentication between charge point and CSMS by default, where 1.6 largely left transport security as an operator choice (and many deployed networks still run 1.6 over plain WebSocket).
What doesn't change
The core transaction flow — start a session, meter values during charging, stop and settle — is conceptually the same in both versions. If your business logic is billing, smart charging, and OCPI roaming, the move to 2.0.1 is mostly a protocol translation layer, not a rewrite of your platform.
Our recommendation
We build CSMS platforms that support both protocols simultaneously, because most real networks are mixed fleets — new stations shipping with 2.0.1 firmware, older ones still on 1.6-J that nobody wants to truck-roll just to upgrade. Treat protocol support as a capability your platform has, not a decision you make once and lock in.
