Firmware, App and Backend Ownership in OEM Deals

Short answer: in OEM deals the factory usually owns the firmware and licenses it to you. What you need is a clear licence scope, update and support period, a path if the factory stops, and ownership of your data and branding. Insist on standard OCPP so you can change the back end without changing the hardware. This is a practical guide, not legal advice; have a lawyer review the contract.

Three layers, three questions

Layer	What it is	Who typically owns it	What you want
Firmware	Software inside the charger	Factory	Licence for all units bought; update rights; security patches
App	Mobile app for drivers or owners	Factory (white-label) or you (custom)	Your brand, your store accounts, data access
Back end / cloud	Platform that manages chargers and sessions	Factory, third party or you	OCPP freedom; data export; clear fees

Firmware: licence, not ownership

You are buying hardware with embedded software. Typical terms:

• Licence scope: use on units you buy, in your brand, worldwide or by region.
• Updates: who can create and push new versions? Who signs them? See OTA updates.
• Customisation: feature changes done by the factory at agreed prices, with time and testing.
• Source code: usually not provided. Options: escrow, or a licence to the source for maintenance.
• Security: a named contact, patch timelines and a support period — see cybersecurity requirements.

App options

Option	Pros	Cons
Branded factory app	Quick and low cost	Tied to the factory’s cloud; limited control
White-label platform (third-party CPMS and app)	Mature features; OCPP	Monthly fees; platform dependency
Custom app on your back end	Full control; your brand	Development cost and maintenance

Own the developer accounts (Apple and Google store listings), the domain names and the branding assets. If the factory publishes the app under its account, getting it transferred later can be hard.

Back end and OCPP

If the charger supports OCPP 1.6J or 2.0.1 and the factory allows you to set the back-end address, you can connect to any compatible platform. This is the best protection against lock-in. Ask for:

• the list of back ends tested with the charger;
• the right to change the OCPP endpoint and security profile;
• documentation of supported messages and any custom extensions;
• no hidden functions that work only on the factory’s cloud.

See OCPP 1.6J vs 2.0.1 and charge point management software.

Data

Question	Why it matters
Where is data stored, in which country?	Data-protection law and customer expectations
Who can access it, including the factory?	Confidentiality
Can you export sessions, users and meter values?	Billing and exit
How long is data kept?	Compliance
What happens at the end of the contract?	Continuity

Contract checklist

• Firmware licence: scope, term, territory, affiliates.
• Update and security-patch period (years) and process.
• Change control for firmware that affects certificates — see certification after rebranding.
• Escrow or transfer path if the factory exits.
• Ownership of your brand assets, app store accounts and domains.
• Right to change back end; OCPP documentation.
• Data ownership, hosting location, export format.
• Service levels for the factory’s cloud, if used.
• Liability and warranty for software defects.
• Exit assistance: handover of data, docs and builds.

Red flags

• “The app only works with our cloud.”
• No written support period for firmware.
• Refusal to document OCPP behaviour.
• App listed in the factory’s developer account with no transfer clause.
• Monthly cloud fee per charger with no cap.

VULTAE approach

VULTAE chargers support OCPP 1.6J and 2.0.1 and can connect to the back end of your choice. For OEM projects, firmware features, app branding and back-end integration are agreed at the brief stage, and ownership and support terms are written into the contract — see the OEM / ODM page and what you can customise.