In the two years since the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) mandated eRoaming connectivity for every public charging station, the European market has moved past simple compliance. The promise of 'any EV, any charge point, any app' has morphed into a complex, competitive landscape where the technical protocols and hub choices made today define tomorrow's commercial reach. While the policy layer is set, the operational layer is in furious flux, driven by OCPI evolution, hub consolidation, and a strategic pivot from mere connectivity to service quality differentiation. For CPOs, navigating this new reality is no longer an IT task; it's a core business strategy that determines customer acquisition cost and network utilization.
The OCPI 3.0 Pivot: From Protocol to Platform
The long-anticipated OCPI 3.0 release candidate, finally stable in late 2025, marks a fundamental shift. It is no longer just a roaming protocol but a comprehensive platform interface standard. Its enhanced driver billing transparency features directly support AFIR's strict receipt requirements, while new real-time telemetry modules for battery state-of-health and charger component status are creating secondary data marketplaces. However, adoption is creating a two-tier market. Major hubs like Hubject and Gireve are pushing rapid implementation to unlock new services, while many smaller CPOs and some Mobility Service Providers (MSPs) are lagging, creating interoperability 'quality tiers'. Integrating this requires a modern, API-first CSMS architecture; a point we consistently emphasize in our architecture and integration approach for future-proof operations.
Hub Consolidation and the 'Hubject-Gireve' Dichotomy
The market is consolidating around two de facto central infrastructures with distinct models. Hubject, having absorbed several regional players, now connects over 70% of European charge points. Its strategy is vertical integration, bundling Plug&Charge services via its ISO 15118 root certificate authority with its eRoaming platform, creating a powerful but opinionated stack. Conversely, Gireve maintains its focus as a neutral, multi-standard interchange ('hub of hubs'), specializing in connecting smaller regional roaming platforms and CPO consortia, particularly in Southern Europe. The strategic choice for a CPO is no longer 'which hubs' but 'what mix': betting on the dominant platform for volume or cultivating a multi-hub strategy for resilience and niche market access. This directly impacts a CPO's CSMS and OCPP expertise requirements, as the backend must manage multiple, complex hub connections seamlessly.
The New Battleground: Smart Charging and V2G Roaming
Basic session roaming is now a commodity. The competitive frontier has shifted to the roaming of advanced energy services. Can a driver's smart charging schedule, initiated via their home MSP, be executed uninterrupted on a roaming CPO's charger? Can a Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) service contract be billed across borders? Technical working groups within both OCPI and the Open ADR alliances are racing to define these standards. Early movers, like alliances of CPOs in the Nordic countries and Austria, are launching pilot corridors where V2G signals are exchanged via adapted roaming protocols. This creates immense pressure on CPO infrastructure; the CSMS must not only communicate with a hub but also interpret and execute complex, time-sensitive grid commands from a third party.
Implications for CPOs
First, treat roaming hub contracts as strategic commercial partnerships, not utility purchases. Negotiate for terms that allow easy addition of competing hubs and clear data ownership clauses. Second, prioritize a CSMS upgrade that natively supports OCPI 3.0's extended objects and can manage parallel connections to multiple hubs without crippling complexity. A modular architecture and integration approach is essential here. Third, start internal pilots on smart charging roaming. Even simple time-of-use tariff pass-through via roaming platforms will soon be a market differentiator. Finally, view this not as a cost centre but as a customer acquisition channel. The data flowing through hubs provides invaluable insight into competitor pricing and driver behaviour. The journey towards true interoperability is now a continuous cycle of integration and optimization. For a deeper dive into related infrastructure evolution, explore our eMobility insights.