Question 1

What is UBC in EV charging?

Accepted Answer

UBC (Unified Bharat eCharge) is a national interoperability platform for EV charging in India, built by the Ministry of Heavy Industries with BHEL and NPCI. It lets EV drivers discover participating chargers and pay via UPI through the BHIM app, without needing a separate app or wallet for each charging network.

Question 2

How does UPI-based EV charging work under UBC?

Accepted Answer

A driver opens the BHIM app, finds a UBC-enabled charger nearby, scans the QR code on the unit, and starts the session. When charging ends, payment settles directly from the driver's bank account via UPI to the CPO — no prepaid wallet or top-up involved.

Question 3

Is UBC the same as UEI (Unified Energy Interface)?

Accepted Answer

Not exactly, though the two overlap and public sources don't draw a firm line between them. Both run on the Beckn Protocol. UBC is best understood as the UPI-native, NPCI/BHIM-integrated rollout of the broader Beckn/UEI open-network model for EV charging, rather than a separate competing standard.

Question 4

Do CPOs still need OCPI if they adopt UBC?

Accepted Answer

Yes. OCPI handles backend-to-backend roaming between CPOs and eMSPs — token exchange, location sync, session records. UBC is a separate, driver-facing discovery and payment layer built on the Beckn Protocol. They're complementary: OCPI compliance is part of the same technical groundwork a Beckn/UEI adapter for UBC will expect.

Question 5

What does a CPO need to do to become UBC-certified?

Accepted Answer

At minimum: an OCPP-compliant backend, an OCPI 2.2.1 or Beckn/UEI integration adapter, clean and accurate charger catalog/pricing data, and a billing system that can reconcile direct UPI settlements. Formal certification and registration flows are expected to publish once the government's current UBC pilot concludes.

UPI-Based EV Charging Under UBC: What The 2026 Rollout Means For CPOs

EV Charging Payment Options: Designing Flows Drivers Won’t Abandon

upi ev charging

UPI-Based EV Charging Under UBC: What The 2026 Rollout Means For CPOs

EV Charging Payment Options: Designing Flows Drivers Won’t Abandon