Hubject and Plugo team up to push Plug&Charge in Japan

Hubject and Tokyo-based Plugo said they will work together to speed Plug&Charge adoption across Japan’s EV charging market, with a focus on CPOs, eMSPs and OEMs. The partnership is aimed at making charging simpler for drivers as Japan weighs broader use of NACS and other global standards.

Why it matters: - The partnership targets a simpler “plug in and charge” experience for EV drivers in Japan. - The work could help speed adoption of ISO 15118-based Plug&Charge across charging networks, vehicles and hardware. - The collaboration may also reduce friction for CPOs, eMSPs, OEMs and equipment makers as Japan's charging market evolves.

What happened: - Hubject and Plugo Inc. announced a partnership on Aug. 27, 2026, in Berlin. - Hubject will bring its Plug&Charge portfolio and technical expertise to Japan. - Plugo will contribute its footprint in Japan's charging industry. - The companies said the partnership will support CPOs, eMSPs and OEMs in the Japanese EV charging market. - Plugo said it will work with Hubject to accelerate evaluation and real-world deployment of ISO15118-based Plug&Charge ahead of the market.

The details: - The partnership covers technical onboarding for companies implementing Plug&Charge in Japan. - The companies will support day-to-day use of Plug&Charge for CPOs, eMSPs and OEMs operating in Japan. - Hubject and Plugo will support hardware manufacturers through testing and certification. - The companies also plan joint work to raise awareness and drive standardization of Plug&Charge in Japan. - Plugo was founded in 2018 and develops and operates EV charging stations and the “My PLUGO” app across Japan. - Plugo also provides one-stop EV charging services for businesses, including charging infrastructure, white-label charging applications, maintenance and roaming services. - Plugo already runs its own Plug&Charge system, “& GO,” based on the CHAdeMO standard. - The partnership extends Plugo's automated charging work and broadens the technical standards available to Japanese drivers and manufacturers. - In Japan, several automakers have reportedly begun considering adoption of the NACS standard. - Plugo said the partnership will expand its Plug&Charge experience from CHAdeMO to NACS and other international charging standards. - Hubject said the partnership brings its full support for Plug&Charge, from certification to everyday operations, to Japan. - Hubject operates intercharge, its eRoaming platform, and says it connects more than 1,100,000 charging points and 3,500 B2B partners across 75+ countries. - Hubject says its Plug&Charge network reaches 5,000,000 PnC-ready EVs and uses ISO 15118-2 and -20 standards. - Hubject says it is the first EV-related company to offer financial services for EV companies based on its own payment license.

Between the lines: - Japan's charging market is moving toward more interoperability as automakers explore NACS alongside existing standards. - The partnership pairs Hubject's global certificate and interoperability infrastructure with Plugo's local operating presence. - Plugo already has experience with Plug&Charge under CHAdeMO, which may give the company a practical bridge into broader standard support. - The announcement signals growing competition to make charging experiences more seamless before standards fragment further.

What's next: - The companies will focus on onboarding, certification and market education as Plug&Charge rolls out in Japan. - OEMs, CPOs and hardware makers may begin testing and implementing the technology through the partnership. - Plugo said it aims to create an environment where drivers can use EVs without thinking about charging-standard differences. - Hubject and Plugo are positioning Plug&Charge as a foundation for more flexible charging across Japan.