Open-Source EV Charging: Linux-Based Platform Simplifies Interoperability

What you’ll learn:

The open-source platform, named EVerest, was developed under a partnership between the Linux Foundation and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation
EVerest runs on any device, from unmanaged AC home chargers to complex, multi-EVSE, satellite public DC charging stations with battery and solar support.
The platform provides a focal point for the electric mobility community to collaborate on the development of fundamental communication protocols.

Developing reliable, interoperable electric-vehicle (EV) chargers that support the latest communications protocols between EVs and charging stations has become easier and faster, thanks to a project between the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office) and the Linux Foundation (LF). The project, which began in January 2024, was formed to build open-source software tools to support communications between EV charging infrastructure and other systems through LF Energy’s EVerest project.

1. The EVerest open-source development platform promises to improve the interoperability and reliability of EV charging systems while dramatically shortening their time-to-market.

Open-Source Innovation for EV Charging

In much the same way that the Android OS and its associated protocol stacks simplified cell-phone development, EVerest's goal is to develop and maintain an open-source software stack for EV charging stations. By digitally abstracting the complexity of multiple standards and use cases, EVerest runs on any device, from unmanaged AC home chargers to complex, multi-EVSE (EV supply equipment), satellite public DC charging stations with battery and solar support.

The Joint Office announced that the March release of EVerest includes support for the communication protocol requirements defined in the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Standards and Requirements. It enables Plug and Charge functionality so that drivers can simply connect their vehicle to a charger to authenticate, charge, and pay.

“By providing a unified framework and fostering collaboration, the EVerest project empowers industry stakeholders to accelerate the transition to zero-emission transportation," emphasized Sarah Hipel, Standards and Reliability Program Manager at the Joint Office. “EVerest simplifies compliance while providing a scalable, interoperable foundation for innovation in EV charging.”

2. Shown is a top-level diagram of the EVerest platform framework.

EVerest: Flexibility to Fit Different Environments

The Linux Foundation said, “EVerest was developed with modularity and customizability in mind. It consists of a framework to configure several interchangeable modules. The modules communicate via a local MQTT server and are highly configurable in regards to which functions they provide. The definitions are written in module manifest files and a setup specific system configuration (both JSON).

“This enables easy adjustment to specific local circumstances. For example, if different hardware modules are used underneath or if a local solar installation needs to be adjusted on how the connectivity should be established (addresses/protocols). Even if the local power supply is constrained and needs to be shared with other consumers (chargers), this can be adapted by using the EVerest framework.”

The EVerest project was initiated by PIONIX GmbH. Today, additional organizations such as Chargebyte and Qwello are playing key roles in supporting the EVerest project. EVerest supports all protocols required for EV/Charging station interactions:

IEC 61851
DIN SPEC 70121
ISO 15118: -2 and -20
SAE J1772
SAE J2847/2
CHAdeMO (planned)
GB/T (planned)
MCS (planned)
OCPP: 1.6, 2.0.1 and 2.1 (planned)
Modbus
Sunspec

Since its inception, the Joint Office open-source software experts have been working with the EVerest community to advance production-ready deployments of the software by early adopters like Enteligent, Jule, and Voltpost. These companies are using EVerest as a key element of their development strategy for several pioneering projects:

Enteligent Inc. develops DC-coupled EVSE and solar-power optimization technologies. The company’s first EVSE product, the TLC-EV charger, uses EVerest in its full-stack environment for charging management. It facilitates communication standards between the car, charging station, and cloud while balancing power from local renewables across multiple plugged-in vehicles for a seamless user experience.
Jule is currently working on its ISO 15118 implementation leveraging the EVerest framework. The company’s team has been able to integrate the code base into its hardware development kit. They achieved both a board implementation of control pilot and supported state machine as well as established an initial charger to vehicle SLAC communication. In addition, they initiated vehicle-to-grid (V2G) communication with the vehicle simulator using EVerest modules. This saved the team the trouble of writing their own V2G framework by leveraging a trusted open-source resource.
Voltpost is developing Level 2 chargers that retrofit lampposts to deploy chargers more easily to densely populated urban areas. Voltpost has been working with the EVerest community over the past several months to understand how to deploy it to production. Voltpost has used EVerest as a resource, contributing to the open-source community to improve the developer experience for all.

Catalyst for EV Evolution

EVerest provides a focal point for the electric mobility community to collaborate on the development of fundamental communication protocols. The proactive involvement of such a diverse range of companies in the EVerest project underscores the industry’s collective recognition of the urgent need for a low-cost, interoperable, and more reliable EV charging infrastructure. This helps create a better driver experience while enabling companies to accelerate the release of innovative new features on a secure foundation.

The integration of EVerest also accelerates the release of new features, modifications, and charger customizations faster than other software options, providing a reliable and future-proof charging solution.

Learn More About EVerest and LF Energy

Visit the LF Energy's EVerest project home page.
The EVerest reference implementation is available on GitHub for EV charging industry players to leverage for compliance and interoperability.
Single-line demos showcasing the functionality of the implementation are also available.
For the general mailing list with all detailed developer’s talk, subscribe here. For announcements and short updates on EVerest only, subscribe here. The announcement list is recommended for everyone, and the general mailing list is only if you want all community exchanges.
Working Groups: A good starting point for those new to the community is the general group. Times and links can be found here (user account required).
The LF Energy community uses Zulip for chatting between its members. Find them here.