CCS Charging Architecture: Unlock V2G & Smart Grid Potential With Ready-Made SECC Communication Core

Most developers view CCS DC fast charging purely as a way to deliver rapid power to EV. But the European CCS ecosystem is far more than a power cable — it is the foundational infrastructure to turn EV fleets into flexible, controllable energy assets for tomorrow’s smart grid.

The backbone of this capability lies in its decoupled power and communication design, built around the PLC communication stack of ISO 15118 / DIN SPEC 70121.

Traditional charging relies on simple analog CP signals. It can only start or stop charging. EV remain passive power loads, unable to interact dynamically with the grid.

CCS intelligent charging changes everything. The SECC (Supply Equipment Communication Controller) establishes bidirectional power-line communication with the vehicle EVCC. Over the same charging cable, they exchange real-time battery status, secure authentication, and adjustable power set points — no extra wiring required. This is exactly what makes V2G commercially deploy able.

• Grid peak hours: EV batteries feed surplus energy back into the grid, flattening load spikes and easing grid stress 

• Off-peak hours: EV charge at low tariff rates to maximize energy economics 

• Thousands of connected EV aggregate into a powerful Virtual Power Plant (VPP)

For charging hardware manufacturers, energy operators and grid engineering teams, ISO 15118 compliant communication is no longer a nice-to-have feature. It is the mandatory foundation for future-proof smart charging infrastructure.

That said, real-world V2G projects still face tough engineering hurdles: cross-brand EV-charger interoperability, EMC stability, and seamless grid integration. Building and validating a full ISO15118-20 SECC stack from scratch costs massive R&D time and testing resources, slowing your product launch and market entry.

This is where AUPINS AP-SE-B Core Board ISO15118-20 comes in. The AP-SE-B is a mature PLC communication core board engineered for IEC/SAE AC EV chargers. It integrates stable Home Plug Green PHY PLC communication, supports ISO15118-2 / ISO15118-20 and DIN SPEC70121, with optional PWM generation, CP, PD/PP signal detection and full SECC core functions. With UART/CAN/SPI interfaces, it can easily connect with your charger main MCU, cutting your protocol development cycle dramatically.

Pre-integrated protocol capability lets your charging products support Plug & Charge and V2G ready bidirectional communication out of the box. Skip the heavy protocol stack development and focus on your charger hardware design, system integration and grid docking validation.

The energy transition will happen at the intersection of EV and grid. If you are building next-generation CCS chargers, wallboxes or V2G pilot systems, the AP-SE-B ISO15118-20 core board delivers a proven, ready-to-adopt SECC communication solution to accelerate your V2G and smart grid projects.

Learn more: https://www.aupins.com/products/ap-se-b-core-board-iso15118-20/