CharIN Testival NORTH AMERICA 2026 – Detroit: Press Release

Special Activities and Public Day

On the second day of the Testival, ACM welcomed the broader e-mobility community for a dedicated Side Program focused on EV charging interoperability, collaboration, and emerging industry developments. Throughout the day, nearly x attendees explored real-world testing activities through technical presentations, guided tours, and live demonstrations led by participating companies and industry experts.

The program opened with introductory remarks and a session from Keysight on the role and value of EV interoperability testing events. Participants also joined a walking tour of the Testival grounds, where they observed interoperability testing between EVs, charging infrastructure, and test systems under real-world conditions.

Additional sessions throughout the day covered developments in the North American e-mobility market, cybersecurity considerations for EVSE infrastructure, and CharIN’s evolving technical focus areas, including bidirectional charging and vehicle-grid integration. Attendees also had the opportunity to tour ACM’s advanced testing facilities.

Among the technical highlights was a live demonstration by Argonne National Laboratory and Hubject showcasing ISO 15118-20 dynamic DC bidirectional power transfer, Plug & Charge, mutual TLS, and OCPP 2.1 interoperability in action. Using a Keysight SL1550A EV emulator, the Argonne National Laboratory SpEC module, and a CitrineOS CSMS environment, the demonstration illustrated how standards-based communication is enabling smarter and more seamless charging experiences. Participants also observed the installation of an ISO 15118 EV contract certificate using ISO 15118-20 and OCPP 2.1.

Amit Bhonsle, Head of Product Hubject North America, quoted: “Plug&Charge (PnC) is the cornerstone of a seamless, secure, and truly global EV charging experience. Bringing this technology to life requires rigorous, real-world validation, which is exactly why the CharIN Testivals are so critical. They provide the ultimate collaborative arena for automakers, charging station operators, and software providers to ensure perfect interoperability before hitting the mass market. “

SAE Industry Technologies Consortia demonstrated the SAE EVPKI Certificate Trust List, currently featuring nine EVPKI-compliant roots from six companies, and shared a preview of the planned 2026 SAE EVPKI launch, another important step toward secure and trusted interoperability across the EV ecosystem.

The day concluded with an open discussion, and the CharIN Member Meeting focused on interoperability progress, J3400 developments, and vehicle-grid integration initiatives.

“Across North America, we are seeing meaningful momentum as automakers, charging providers, testing organizations, and software platform companies work together to improve the EV charging experience. This year’s CharIN Testival reflects the industry’s growing commitment to interoperability, conformance testing, and cross-industry collaboration. We are excited to be focusing on the next generation of charging, vehicle-to-grid, at this year’s Testival. The progress being made is encouraging, not just in advancing technical standards, but in building the trust and alignment necessary to support a more seamless and scalable charging ecosystem for drivers across the region.”

Erika Myers, Executive Director of CharIN North America