OCPP Protocol Skills Guide: From 1.6 to 2.0.1 for EV Charging Engineers

Every charging operator in India (Tata Power EZ Charge, Statiq, ChargeZone, Bolt.Earth, BPCL EV, IOCL EV) runs OCPP — and the transition from 1.6 to 2.0.1 has created a hiring premium for engineers who know both. Here's the practical guide.

What OCPP actually does

OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol) is an open standard for communication between charging stations (charge points) and central management systems (CMS / Charge Point Operator backend). It carries authentication, transaction lifecycle, metering, firmware updates, diagnostics + smart-charging signals.

1.6 (released 2017) is the most-deployed version globally and in India — most charger hardware + most CMS implementations are 1.6 based. JSON over WebSocket is the dominant transport.

2.0.1 (released 2020, ratified 2021) adds ISO 15118 Plug & Charge support, smart-charging profiles, secure firmware update, improved authentication + a major device-management overhaul. Newer deployments are 2.0.1; the migration is gradual.

10-week learning plan

Weeks 1-2: read the OCPP 1.6 specification. Don't try to memorise — understand the message flow (BootNotification → StatusNotification → Authorize → StartTransaction → MeterValues → StopTransaction).

Weeks 3-4: install an open-source OCPP CMS (SteVe, EVerest, Open Charging Cloud GraphDefined). Configure it locally. Connect a virtual charger simulator (OCPP-Simulator open-source project).

Weeks 5-6: write a basic OCPP 1.6 client in Python using the ocpp library. Implement charger-side StartTransaction → MeterValues → StopTransaction flow.

Weeks 7-8: read the OCPP 2.0.1 specification, focusing on the delta from 1.6. Note the new message structure, the device-model improvements, the smart-charging extension.

Weeks 9-10: extend your Python client to 2.0.1 + add a simple smart-charging-profile handler. This is the portfolio artefact.

Where these skills land you jobs

• Charging operators (CPOs): Tata Power EZ Charge, Statiq, Numocity, ChargeZone, Magenta Mobility, Bolt.Earth, Plugzmart, ElectricPe, EV Connect, Driivz.
• Charging-hardware OEMs: ABB E-mobility, Delta Electronics, Exicom, Servotech, Volttic, Schneider India.
• Roaming + payment layers: Spirii (Schneider), Monta, Tap Electric, Hubject (global). Plus the new wave of CPO-aggregators in India.
• Senior-band roles increasingly require both 1.6 + 2.0.1 fluency + experience with at least one production CMS (typically commercial Schneider EV Connect, ABB Ridot, Driivz, or open-source SteVe / EVerest).

Certifications + signalling

There's no official Open Charge Alliance certification for engineers; the standard credential is project-experience-on-CV.

AICTE-approved DIYguru OCPP module + Schneider Electric Energy University courses cover the protocol + Schneider EV Connect specifically.

The portfolio artefact (your Python client + a screencast walkthrough of the message flow) is the most credible signal. Push it to GitHub + link from your CV. Many CPO hiring managers will skim the GitHub before scheduling.

Where to go from here

OCPP competency is one of the most under-supplied skill areas in Indian charging-infrastructure hiring. The 10-week investment unlocks senior-band callbacks at every major CPO + charging-hardware OEM in India. Build the portfolio client, push it public, and the conversations follow.

Make this real: create a free emobility.careers account to match with EV jobs, see live salary medians and unlock 200+ JD templates. Want hands-on training? Check out the AICTE-approved EV programs at DIYguru — the largest EV academy in India with placement support across OEMs, charging operators and Tier-1 suppliers.