Cellular connectivity will secure the future of EV charging

As electric vehicles (EVs) become mainstream, building a robust and connected charging infrastructure is critical. This isn’t just about installing more chargepoints, it’s about making them smart, scalable, and secure through IoT and reliable connectivity.

Every modern EV charger must communicate constantly: with the vehicle, the driver, network operators, and energy providers. Reliable cellular connectivity enables everything from real-time payment processing and location discovery to smart energy management and predictive maintenance. At the heart of this connected ecosystem is data and lots of it.

The role of IoT and data in EV charging

Each EV charging session produces a stream of data: chargepoint ID, timestamps, energy usage, driver account information, and payment details. Operators may also monitor usage patterns, vehicle types, and frequency of charging to optimize performance and plan expansions.

Beyond individual sessions, ‘smart charging’ adds another layer of complexity where chargers, vehicles, and utilities dynamically coordinate to distribute load efficiently and avoid expensive grid upgrades. This level of coordination depends entirely on reliable and secure data exchange.

Why connectivity matters to EV charging

To support these intelligent features, EV chargepoints need strong, resilient connectivity. There are three main options for achieving this: hardwired, Wi-Fi, and cellular.

• Wired connections, while fast and reliable, are often impractical on a national scale due to high installation costs and limited flexibility in charger placement.

• Wi-Fi is more flexible, but it suffers from interference, coverage gaps, and security vulnerabilities, making it a poor fit for critical infrastructure like EV charging.

That leaves cellular connectivity, an increasingly preferred solution for enabling smart, scalable, and secure EV charging networks.

Why cellular is the right Choice for EV charging

1. Rapid deployment

Cellular networks are already in place across most regions, enabling quick installation of chargepoints without the need for additional cabling or fixed-line infrastructure. A standard SIM card or eSIM allows each charger to connect directly to mobile networks, making deployment faster and more flexible, regardless of location.

2. Flexibility and scalability

Cellular offers a range of options to suit different needs, from high-speed 4G/5G for real-time data-intensive tasks, to low-power LPWAN technologies for simple status updates. Even traditionally hard-to-reach places like underground car parks can be covered with small-scale solutions like femtocells and picocells.

eSIM technology enhances flexibility further, allowing remote updates, carrier switching, and easy network management throughout a chargepoint’s life cycle.

3. Reliability

Cellular networks are designed for uptime. Operators invest heavily to maintain reliable service, with failovers and traffic balancing across overlapping cells. With the arrival of 5G, features like network slicing offer even more tailored reliability, ensuring low latency and consistent performance for tasks like real-time billing or dynamic load balancing.

4. Security

Security is non-negotiable for EV infrastructure. Cellular IoT offers strong built-in security through SIM-based authentication and encryption. When paired with private APNs, secure VPNs, and robust connectivity management platforms, data transmitted from chargepoints remains secure end-to-end.

Building a smarter, scalable charging network

Creating a nationwide EV charging infrastructure is about more than just hardware; it requires seamless connectivity, centralized device management, and ironclad security. That’s why companies like Pelion are partnering with industry leaders such as Toshiba and the Data Communications Company (DCC) to solve critical challenges like interoperability, secure communications, and load management.

As part of this collaboration, Pelion will equip a Vestel chargepoint at DCC’s testing facility, showcasing how secure, cloud-connected charging can form the backbone of a scalable national network.

The road ahead

To meet growing demand and reassure drivers, EV chargepoints must be:

• Ubiquitous and easy to install

• Seamlessly connected to the cloud

• Secure and reliable under any conditions

• Capable of supporting smart features and real-time data exchange

Cellular connectivity checks every box. As EV adoption accelerates, it’s clear that cellular IoT will be key to building the smart, secure, and scalable charging infrastructure of the future.

Ready to future-proof your EV charging network? 

Explore how cellular connectivity can make your deployment smarter, faster, and more secure.