Auto-Charge

What is auto-charge?

Auto-charge (or Autocharge) is a mechanism that allows a vehicle to automatically start a charging session as soon as it is plugged into a charging station.
This feature relies on the automatic identification of the vehicle, without the need to use a badge or manually interact with the charging station's interface.

This charging mode is particularly well suited to corporate fleets, where vehicles must be able to charge autonomously while still being identified individually.

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How auto-charge works

When the vehicle is plugged into a DC fast charger with a Combo CCS connector, it automatically sends its MAC address via the standardized communication protocol.
This MAC address is transmitted to the Chargekeeper supervision platform as part of the OCPP Authorize command.

The supervision platform interprets this MAC address as a virtual badge, and checks whether the vehicle is indeed authorized to charge.
If the vehicle is recognized and authorized on the charging station, the charging session starts automatically.

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Differences with open-charge mode

Although the behavior of auto-charge resembles open-charge mode, the differences are significant:

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Technical compatibility

• Protocol: OCPP 1.6 JSON
• Compatible chargers: only DC chargers with a Combo CCS connector
• Supervision: Chargekeeper

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Auto-charge identifier format

The vehicle identifier is transmitted in the form of a virtual badge, in the Authorize command of the OCPP protocol.

The standard format is:

VID:[MAC_ADDRESS]

Where MAC_ADDRESS is the vehicle's MAC address in hexadecimal format (12 characters, no spaces).

Example of an auto-charge identifier:
VID:A014310E004E

The supervision platform uses this virtual badge to identify the vehicle, verify its right to charge, and trace the charging session.

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Creating the virtual badge for auto-charge

For the Chargekeeper supervision platform to automatically authorize a vehicle via auto-charge, you must create a virtual badge based on the vehicle's MAC address. This badge must follow a specific format and be correctly assigned to a vehicle.

1. General information

From the Badges menu, click Add a badge, then fill in the following fields:

The RFID field must imperatively begin with VID: to be recognized as an auto-charge badge in Chargekeeper.

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2. Assignment and usage

Next, go to the Assignment and usage tab to associate the badge with the right vehicle:

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Once this configuration is done:

• The supervision platform will automatically recognize the vehicle when plugged in thanks to its MAC address.
• If the charging station has auto-charge enabled, charging can start without manual intervention.

If you have any doubts about the badge format or the MAC identifier to use, please contact Chargekeeper technical support.

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Activation on the charging station side

For auto-charge to work correctly, the feature must be enabled in the charging station's configuration.

Depending on the manufacturer, this activation may require:

• Enabling an option in the local configuration interface (via screen, firmware or software tool)
• Configuring one or more specific OCPP keys, defined locally or remotely from the supervision platform

Examples of OCPP keys related to auto-charge

• For Kempower chargers, the AllowedAuthenticationMethods key must include the evmac method in order to allow automatic recognition of the vehicle via its MAC address.
• For Delta chargers, the OCPP/idTagAutocharge key lets you define the virtual badge format used to identify the vehicle. The VID:[ID] format is required to ensure compatibility with Chargekeeper.

Note: these examples are provided for guidance only. The names and formats of the keys may vary depending on the models and software versions.
We recommend consulting the manufacturer's technical documentation or contacting their support to obtain the exact configuration compatible with auto-charge.

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Benefits of auto-charge

• Time savings: no action required from the driver
• Traceability: each charge is associated with a known vehicle
• Security: only authorized vehicles can charge
• Automation: ideal for professional fleets

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Prerequisites and configuration

To enable auto-charge on your infrastructure:

1. Check hardware compatibility: DC charger + Combo CCS connector + OCPP 1.6 JSON
2. Enable the auto-charge option in the charging station's configuration
3. Register the vehicles' VID:... identifiers in the Chargekeeper supervision platform
4. Verify that the charging station does send the Authorize command with the vehicle's identifier

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How to retrieve the identifier of an unknown vehicle (auto-charge)

If you do not know the MAC address of a vehicle to associate with an auto-charge badge, Chargekeeper lets you identify it from the supervision logs. Here is the complete procedure:

Steps to follow

1. Configure the charging station to run in auto-charge mode

   • Enable auto-charge mode on the charging station via firmware or an OCPP key (see the "Activation on the charging station side" section)
   • Make sure the charging station is properly connected to Chargekeeper and that it sends its OCPP requests.

2. Connect the vehicle to the charging station

   • Plug an unknown vehicle into the charging station. The charging station will automatically attempt to start a charge via auto-charge.

3. Wait for the charge to fail

   • The charge normally fails because the virtual badge (VID) corresponding to the vehicle's MAC address is not yet registered. This is expected.

4. Access the OCPP logs in Chargekeeper

   • Go to the Logs menu.
   • Filter the logs by:
     • Name of the charging station used for the test
     • Action: OcppAuthorize

5. Identify the failed entry

   • You will see one or more lines with the Error status (authorization failure).
   • Click on the relevant entry to open the details of the OCPP message.

6. Extract the auto-charge identifier

   • In the message body, locate the idTag attribute. It will contain the vehicle's MAC address, prefixed with VID:.

Example log

{
  "action": "OcppAuthorize",
  "status": "Rejected",
  "payload": {
    "idTag": "VID:A014310E004E"
  }
}

Need help?

If you have any doubts about the configuration or compatibility of your chargers and vehicles, our support team is at your disposal.
Contact us through your Chargekeeper interface or by email.