An over-the-air update is a firmware package — new software for the charger itself — that the maker releases and the charger downloads over the connection it already has: the maker’s app service on a home unit, or the management platform on a networked site. The charger installs it itself, usually with a restart, and no service visit is involved. A charger with no connection gets no updates at all. What makes the arrangement trustworthy is not the download; it is the policy behind it.
Key Takeaways
- An over-the-air update is a signed firmware package delivered over the charger’s existing connection and installed by the unit itself.
- The trust sits in the policy: signing, who triggers, staging, recovery behaviour and the support period.
- Every one of those five checks has a written answer — ask for it before a deployment depends on it.
- No EVDANCE listing states an update mechanism or support period; both are written confirmations.
The Journey of an Update
Strip away the marketing and an over-the-air update is a short chain, every link of which can be asked about:
- Release. The maker builds and tests a firmware version for an exact model, not for a range in general.
- Signing. The package is signed, so a unit can tell a genuine build from anything else offered to it.
- Delivery. The package travels over the charger’s existing connection — the app route at home, or the platform that manages the site, the layer our OCPP explainer describes.
- Installation. The unit installs in a restart window, not in the middle of a charging session.
- Confirmation. The unit reports its new version back, so the record of what each charger is running stays true.
Five Policy Checks Behind the Download
The download is the visible tenth of the system. These five checks cover the rest, and every one of them is a question with a written answer:
| Check | Why it matters | Where the answer must live |
|---|---|---|
| Signed updates only | The unit should accept genuine packages and reject anything else | The maker’s written statement for the model |
| Who can trigger | An update pushed at the wrong moment can restart chargers in a site’s busiest hour | The model and platform terms: maker push, operator control, or owner approval |
| Staging | Proving a release on one unit first is the difference between a fault and a fleet outage | An agreed practice between operator and platform |
| Recovery behaviour | An interrupted download should end in a working charger — specified in advance, not discovered | The maker’s stated behaviour for the model |
| Support period | Releases end one day; what that means for units in the field should not arrive as a surprise | A stated period in the update policy or supply terms |
What an Update Is Not
An update cannot raise a charger’s hardware rating, and it is not a promise of new features. When support ends, the charger does not stop charging — charging is local, between the unit and the car. What ages is the connected layer described in how smart EV chargers work: compatibility, features and security fixes. That slow ageing, not the download, is what the support-period check is really about.
Update Policies in the EVDANCE Range, as Listed
EVDANCE listings state connected features: the EV-ACT3204E wallbox states RFID and app; the EV-AC03201T station states OCPP 1.6J and RFID; the EV-ACS3210E portable states app and energy monitoring and is described as OCPP-ready. No EVDANCE listing states an update mechanism, a signing practice or a support period for any model. The five checks above are therefore written-confirmation items for any EVDANCE model: raise them through the contact page or the OEM and private-label programme before a deployment depends on them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every smart charger get over-the-air updates?
No. It needs two things: a live connection and a maker’s service behind it that actually publishes releases. Some models update only when the owner accepts in the app, some are managed entirely by a platform, and a non-networked charger never updates at all.
Can an operator hold back or schedule an update?
That depends on who can trigger updates on that model and platform — one of the five checks above. Where the operator holds the trigger, releases can be scheduled for quiet hours and staged across a fleet; where the maker pushes, the operator’s control may be limited to advance notice.
What happens when update support ends for my charger?
The charger keeps charging. What stops is the flow of fixes and compatibility work for its connected features, which is why the support period belongs in the purchase file — alongside the price — rather than being discovered years later.
Related Reading
- How Do Smart EV Chargers Work?
- OCPP Explained: What Charge Point Operators Need From EV Charger Hardware
- Do Home EV Chargers Need Wi-Fi?
- Does the Tesla Wall Connector Need Wi-Fi?
