EV testing with charging station simulation
Know how your vehicle charges at stations it has never met – before it ships.
EVCA simulates the charging station and its deviations, so you test charging communication and electrical behaviour of your EV under repeatable conditions – before the vehicle ships – instead of driving to public chargers and hoping for the fault.1
Used by the charging specialists at umlaut in their EFECT lab.
- What for
- Vehicle and EVCC teams who must know how their EV charges at stations it has never met.
- What it does
- EVCA simulates the charging station and its deviations; communication and electrical behaviour on one timeline, repeatable for every variant.
- Not for
- Testing the charger itself – that is EVSE testing.
A vehicle that fails at one charger brand becomes a headline, a service campaign and a software recall.
Test scenario: the charging station replies late
Illustrative test: let the simulated charging station delay a supported response. Shows whether the vehicle waits, retries or stops as its requirements specify. The EVCC manages the charging conversation, the BMS supplies battery limits, and the OBC converts AC into DC for the battery. Their responses must agree with the measured electrical behaviour.
The test setup
EV charging testing: response to a lower DC current limit
A controlled EVSE (electric vehicle supply equipment, or charging station) simulation makes vehicle tests repeatable from controller integration to complete-vehicle release. Public chargers and prototypes provide real interactions, but cannot hold every condition constant.
DC EV test example: vehicle reaction to a lower station current limit
| Test element | Defined condition or observation |
|---|---|
| DUT and simulated partner | A real vehicle is connected to a controlled EVSE simulation. The selected EVCA system, source and interfaces must support the DC protocol and operating point used. |
| Changed condition | The simulated charging station communicates a lower available current during charging. Keep the BMS limits and other controlled conditions constant for the comparison. |
| Expected EV reaction | Check that the EVCC charging request reflects the changed station limit together with the applicable BMS limits, within the response required for the chosen protocol and test case. |
| Evaluation | Correlate the announced EVSE limit, EVCC request, available vehicle-network signals and measured electrical response in comframe. Record the defined acceptance criteria, timing and observed result. |
This is a test objective, not a reported measurement result. Physical current-response testing requires the configured power path and released measurement functions.
EVCC–BMS integration testing · EVCA Flex · Analysis layers and released scope
- 01Customer situation
Shows how EVCC, BMS (battery management system), OBC and vehicle functions work together during charging.
- 02Usual alternative
You observe the vehicle at changing charging infrastructure and investigate the interaction with each charging partner.
- 03Missing data
Defined boundary states repeat, and comframe compares synchronised measurements across regression runs.
- 04Controlled method
The device under test
EV test scope: EVCC, integrated charging system or complete vehicle
Charging controller, vehicle subsystem or complete vehicle as the device under test.
EVCC and communication
Develop the charging controller and protocol stack on the bench. You test message content, timing, certificates, low-level states and state transitions before the complete vehicle is available.
Typical path: EVCA ComOnly and comframeEVCC, BMS and OBC integration
The test checks charging negotiation, battery permission, onboard conversion, vehicle states, contactors and the high-voltage path together.
Typical path: EVCA Flex, Battery Cell Simulator (BCS) and comframeComplete vehicle and high power
The real vehicle is validated under controlled AC, DC CCS, CHAdeMO, GB/T DC or MCS conditions.
Typical path: EVCA Flex, Multi Mobile or MCS
Carry charging requirements through each development stage
EV charging requirements from controller development to vehicle release
Each charging requirement stays linked to its test condition and expected response as you integrate more of the physical vehicle.
- 1Component development
EVCC, BMS, OBC and charging-related control functions before the complete vehicle is available.
EVCA ComOnly, BCS, comframe - 2EVCC, BMS and OBC integration stage
Charging requests, battery limits, AC conversion, direct DC charging and vehicle execution on one timeline.
EVCA Flex, BCS, comframe - 3Conformance and robustness
Standards-based behaviour, boundary conditions, missing messages, timing changes and deliberately challenging charging-partner behaviour.
EVCA and Test Libraries - 4Vehicle and high-power validation
Complete-vehicle testing across communication, low-level signals, physical power, safety, thermal behaviour and EMC.
EVCA Flex, EVCA MCS, EMC Link - 5Interoperability and field validation
You test the vehicle with real charging stations and save the exact interaction behind an observed failure.
EVCA Interop and Multi Mobile - 6Regression, release and production
Validated charging scenarios run again in repeatable campaigns for software releases, vehicle variants and production-related verification.
comframe, EVCA and BCS
Analyse the charging process
Charging-process analysis: EVCC, BMS, OBC, signals and power
comframe correlates protocol, low-level states, vehicle-network information and electrical behaviour. This puts decoded data in the context of the charging process. Automated Standards Analysis and Cross-Layer State Monitoring add the expected behaviour for their released scope.
Saved configurations, unattended test campaigns, reports and comparable results across variants.
Requests, limits, state of charge, thermal constraints and fault reactions.
Expected, optional, delayed, missing and unexpected messages.
DIN 70121, ISO 15118, certificates, TLS and timing.
Control Pilot (CP), Proximity Pilot (PP) and technology-specific connection and control states.
Voltage, current, energy transfer, contactors, isolation and controlled faults.
Cross-Layer State Monitoring is available for applicable DC CCS, CHAdeMO and DC China / GB/T DC configurations. Exact protocol versions, channels and released functions remain product-specific.
EVCA Interop and Charge Playback
Repeat real charging-station behaviour in the vehicle test
EVCA Interop records the real EV-to-EVSE interaction so you can investigate a charging station that cannot stay in the laboratory. Charge Playback uses supported EVSE-side PLC (power line communication) content and timing to act as a physical charging partner for the EV under test.
- Real charging session
Connect the real EV and EVSE under the field or interoperability conditions you want to investigate.
- Record
Capture the EVSE-side PLC content, timing and related charging measurements from the real session.
- Extract
Select the recorded behaviour supported by the EVSE simulation configuration and retain the source session.
- Active simulation
Apply the recorded charging-station behaviour to the EV through its physical charging interface.
- Repeat and modify
Repeat the vehicle test, changing one charging-partner condition at a time. Use the recorded vehicle response to build automated regression cases.
Replay reproduces data for the engineer.
Interop analyses the real charging pair
EVCA Interop investigates a real vehicle with a real charging station and records synchronised data. A configured EVCA Multi Mobile system adds broader portable measurement and charging-partner simulation.
Explore EVCA InteropCharge Playback simulates the recorded charging station
Released Charge Playback functions repeat recorded charging-station behaviour at the vehicle’s physical charging interface.
Explore Charge PlaybackGlobal charging technologies
EV charging interfaces: AC, DC CCS / NACS, CHAdeMO, GB/T and MCS
The same test method works across charging technologies, with the standards, communication, low-level signals, power hardware and released software functions each technology requires.
AC charging
IEC 61851-1, SAE J1772 and ISO 15118 where applicable. EVCC and OBC interaction with the charging-station side, tested.
DC CCS and NACS
DIN 70121, ISO 15118-2, ISO 15118-3 and ISO 15118-20 according to the configured system and release.
CHAdeMO
CAN-based charging communication, low-level states and functional workflows for supported versions.
DC China / GB/T
GB/T 18487.1 and GB/T 27930 variants with technology-specific communication and state evaluation.
Megawatt Charging
10BASE-T1S, ISO 15118-20, CE and ID, thermal interfaces, safety and high-power validation in the dedicated MCS path.
Product pages, datasheets and Standards & Knowledge list the exact standard editions, Test Libraries, interfaces and released functions.
The test equipment
EV test equipment for communication, integration and complete vehicles
EVCC and protocol development on a communication bench, without full-power laboratory equipment.
Integrated laboratoryCommunication, low-level signals, external power, faults and automation.
Portable simulation and measurement for multi-standard vehicle and field tests.
Dedicated MCS communication, signals, cooling and high-power architecture.
Virtual cells, sensors, balancing, isolation and fault conditions for BMS integration.
Optically isolated charging communication across the chamber boundary.
Software and reportscomframe compares the vehicle response with the charging stimulus and keeps the test record.
Defined test cases, standard editions, DUT roles, verdicts and reports.
What does EVCC mean in an EV charging test?
Here, EVCC means Electric Vehicle Communication Controller: the vehicle-side charging controller that communicates with the charging station’s SECC (Supply Equipment Communication Controller). It is distinct from the separate energy-management application named evcc.
The chosen test scope determines the EVCA configuration, charging partner, protocol editions and signal coverage.
Frequently asked questions
EV testing
What is EV testing?
EV testing checks how an electric vehicle, EV communication controller or charging-related vehicle subsystem responds to a controlled simulated charging station.
What is the difference between EV testing and EVSE testing?
During EV testing, the vehicle or EVCC is the device under test and the test system simulates a charging station. During EVSE testing, the charging station is the device under test and the system simulates the vehicle.
Can an EVCC be tested before the complete vehicle exists?
Yes. A communication-focused EVSE simulator provides the charging interfaces needed to test an EVCC on the bench. Engineers can inspect message content, timing, certificates and state transitions before integrating the complete vehicle.
Why test EVCC, BMS and OBC together?
The EVCC negotiates charging, the BMS supplies battery limits and the OBC converts AC energy. Testing them together checks whether their limits, states, timing and physical responses agree. These interactions are not visible in isolated ECU tests.
How is direct DC charging different from AC OBC testing?
During DC CCS, CHAdeMO and GB/T DC charging, the OBC is bypassed and the external charger supplies the high-voltage battery path through the vehicle inlet and contactors.
How does EVCA Interop support EV testing?
EVCA Interop records the real vehicle-to-station interaction on one synchronised time base. Use the recordings to narrow down a field issue and prepare controlled validation or laboratory reproduction.
What is an EVCC, and what should an EVCC test verify?
The EVCC is the vehicle-side controller for charging communication with the charging station. EVCC testing checks relevant messages, state transitions and timing against a controlled station counterpart.
Integration tests also correlate its requests with BMS limits, contactor and precharge states, and the measured electrical response. AC tests include the OBC power path; direct DC charging bypasses the OBC in the energy path.
Explore EVCC, BMS and OBC integration testing · Review controller communication testing
Customer projects, success stories and technical articles related to this page.
- Customer projectEVCA Flex for Comprehensive EV TestingEVCA Flex for an automotive manufacturer: DC-CCS, CHAdeMO, GB/T DC and AC testing with electrical fault simulation and a separate power unit.
- Customer projectEVCA Flex Across Laboratory and Field TestingEVCA Flex connects field data with HIL testing and laboratory reproduction. The published battery-emulation setup supports 1,000 V and 250 kW.
- Customer projectCharging Interoperability: EV Manufacturer, March 2026A returning vehicle manufacturer expands AC and DC CCS charging interoperability tests with EVCA, building on its existing test workflow.
- KnowledgeEV and EVSE simulators: test rolesChoose an EV or EVSE simulator for the device under test. Understand which signals, messages and electrical states it controls.
Select the EVCA configuration for your test plan
EV testing needs a defined charging-station side; EVSE testing needs a defined vehicle side. The EV Charging Analyzer connects both roles within the EVCA platform. Interfaces and Test Library release follow the test plan. The product page describes configurations; this application page describes the workflow.
Vehicle-side test planning
It starts with the vehicle or controller requirement. First you define charging-station behaviour, operating points and acceptance criteria; the EVCA configuration for that test follows.