What is contactless payment at a charging station?

Contactless payment is a solution that allows any RFID or NFC (Near Field Communication) technology to be used both as a means of EV driver identification and as a means of payment directly at the charging station without registration. In other words, EV drivers do not need to be registered in an app or have an RFID card to pay for a charging session. They can simply use their credit or debit card, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay or any bank mobile app that supports contactless payment.

Necessity is the mother of invention

By 2025, more than 50% of point-of-sale transactions worldwide will be contactless, Juniper Research predicts. In the UK, Australia, Spain, France and many Eastern European countries, contactless payment is already the preferred payment method. In addition, the COVID -19 pandemic has further driven the use of contactless payments. According to RTi Research, the number of contactless payment users increased by 30% in March 2020 alone. In addition, the research found that 58% of people (in the U.S.) are more likely to use contactless payment methods after the pandemic than before. Another study estimates that the global smart card market will reach $65 billion by 2025 and account for 25% of the banking business.

Why is it interesting for EV drivers?

 

The main advantages of contactless payment are that it is simple, fast and hassle-free. It provides both authorization and payment. Nevertheless, everyone has or is familiar with a credit card.

It is simple

Paying for a charge with contactless payment works just like paying for groceries. The only difference is that EV drivers are not charged immediately, but only after the charging process is complete. Contactless payment is not limited to cards. With NFC technology, EV drivers can easily pay with a mobile wallet or other tap-to-go accessories or credit cards. In addition, contactless payment is a convenient option for all ad-hoc users who may not have an RFID card or use an e-mobility app.

It is fast

Contactless payments are usually completed within 15 seconds, whereas it takes you twice as long to pay with normal cards. In addition to faster payment processing, the main factor affecting the speed of payment is the elimination of pin codes.

Most of the AC charge can be covered with a tap on the reader without having to enter the pin, making contactless payment fast and convenient.

It is hassle-free

Contactless payment takes the hassle out of paying ad-hoc for charging. There’s no need to dig through the collection of mobile apps or search your pockets for RFID cards. The driver can simply pay with any contactless payment method without incurring any monthly fees.

Equipping your locations with a payment terminal

Charging stations with a payment terminal such as INCH Duo are suitable for any public place where there is a cost associated with charging. If you connect the charging station with a payment terminal to the OCEAN charge point management system (CPMS), you can share data and process payments at a cluster of charging stations. One of the disadvantages of contactless payment is the cost associated with its use. For this reason, INCH Duo and OCEAN CPMS can be connected to form a payment cluster where only one charging station is equipped with the payment terminal. The driver is then instructed to go to the charging station with the payment terminal and pay for the charging process. In addition, INCH Duo with a payment terminal and OCEAN CPMS are complaint with any charging station from other manufacturers, so you can connect them to your existing charging cluster.

Single point of payment for a charging cluster on a location.

The charging process is simple on user’s end, however the process behind it relies on communication capabilities.

Large charging location with unified charging hardware:

When a location has EV charging available in multiple floors, it is advised to place a payment terminal on each floor for better usability.

Upgrading existing charging hub with contactless payment terminal:

Etrel INCH Duo could serve as a contactless payment solution for chargers that don‘t have a payment terminal with the support of Etrel OCEAN.

Find out how you can gear up your charging service with Etrel’s contactless payment solution.

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