Calibration law in electromobility

What is calibration law?

German measurement and calibration law specifies the requirements that measuring devices must meet to ensure that measured values are correct, comparable and legally valid. It protects consumers wherever measurements form the basis for billing – for example with water, gas, heat or electricity meters.

In electromobility, this applies to the electricity meters installed in charging stations, which measure the amount of energy charged in kilowatt hours (kWh). Charging processes can only be billed to third parties with legal certainty if this measurement complies with calibration law.

Why is calibration law important for electromobility?

Before the introduction of calibration-compliant charging, it was often unclear for drivers:

• – How much electricity was really charged?

• – How is the price made up?

• – Which tariff structure applies at which charging point?

Some operators used different and sometimes non-transparent billing models, such as flat-rate prices or minute-based tariffs – without a reliable basis or accessible consumption data.

With the calibration law, the following applies today:
– The price and tariff must be clearly visible before the charging process starts.
– The amount of electricity charged must be measured and displayed with kWh accuracy.
– Users must be able to view the measurement and billing data in a comprehensible manner.
This creates transparency, comparability and consumer protection.

What does calibration-compliant charging mean?

A charging station is deemed to comply with calibration law if:

• – the meters and measuring systems used meet the requirements of the German Measurement and Verification Ordinance (MessEV),

• – a valid type examination certificate (e.g. from the VDE) is available,

• – users can check measured values via secure, tamper-proof transparency software,

• – billing data are documented in an unchanged and traceable manner.

The law came into force in 2015 and has been fully binding since April 1, 2019. Since then, charging stations that do not comply with calibration law have had to be retrofitted or replaced if they are used for billing public or third-party charging processes.

For whom is calibration law relevant?

The calibration law concerns, among other things:

• – CPOs / operators of public charging infrastructure

• – Fleet operators and companies with business charging

• – Housing industry (e.g. landlords with chargeable charging points)

• – Facilities with user group billing (guests, employees, tenants)

• – Service providers and installation companies that plan or set up charging infrastructure

As soon as charging energy is made available against payment or for subsequent billing, compliance with calibration law is required.

What role does reev play?

With the reev energy & charging platform, operators can bill charging processes in a legally compliant, calibration law-based and transparent manner. Among other things, the platform supports you with

• – Accurate kilowatt-hour consumption recording

• – Verification & documentation of the measured values

• – public charging with ad-hoc access in accordance with the charging station ordinance

• – GHG quota billing (for public charging points)

• – Integration of calibration-compliant hardware from renowned manufacturers

This means that charging in compliance with calibration law is not an expense, but a reliable basis for economical operation.

Conclusion

Charging in compliance with calibration law is an essential building block for trustworthy, transparent and fair electromobility. It protects users, creates a level playing field and forms the prerequisite for legally effective billing, e.g. for fleets, rental properties or public charging points.