E-Cars: User-friendly payment solution developed for e-charging stations

To facilitate spontaneous ad-hoc charging on the go, the municipal utility cooperation Thüga has teamed up with SMART/LAB, a specialist in EV charging billing, and Mastercard to develop an innovative and user-friendly solution for card payments at EV charging stations. With the SMART/LAB solution, charging station operators can quickly and easily add a hybrid payment terminal to their existing charging station infrastructure, as well as to new ones to be set up, and use it immediately.

The terminal integrates open-loop technology, enabling EV charging station operators to accept all common cashless payment and authorization methods, while meeting the requirements of the new European Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR). From July 1 2024, publicly accessible fast charging stations with a capacity of 50 kW or more must offer at least one contactless payment method with debit or credit cards. By accepting debit and credit cards as a minimum standard, the regulation not only ensures uniform payment methods, but also guarantees an openly accessible payment system.

The new hybrid payment terminal can be quickly and easily integrated into the existing infrastructure of the various providers via the specially developed payment gateway in a plug-and-play process and also accepts closed payment systems, such as the charging cards of the municipal utilities or other electric mobility providers (EMPs). Using NFC technology, drivers of electric vehicles can make secure and convenient contactless payments with their debit or credit card, for example from Mastercard. The payment process also works with digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, as well as established providers’ charging and fleet cards.

Dr Matthias Cord, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Management of Thüga, states: "When we entered into a strategic cooperation with Mastercard in 2021 as a pioneer in the energy sector, our goal was to drive digitization, develop cities sustainably and find simple solutions for customers. We have now extended this to electromobility and have taken a big step forward. I am proud of that."

In the joint cooperation, SMART/LAB will handle the authorization and billing of charging processes via its leading background system in Germany and ensure conformity with German calibration law.

"As a leading provider in the field of e-mobility, we are creating a solution that ensures maximum flexibility for all users," says Mark Steffen Walcher, CEO of SMART/LAB. "The charging cards of our municipal utilities and our ladebusiness customers will continue to work as usual – the payment options will just be extended."

Electromobility can only establish itself on a nationwide supply of charging facilities that are tailored to the needs of electric car drivers. Uniform standards and secure, open payment systems are important for promoting consumer acceptance and strengthening sustainable e-mobility. The introduction of the hybrid terminal not only offers greater convenience, but also makes a significant contribution to accessibility and thus to a broad user base.

"Our goal is to make electromobility as accessible as possible and to remove any barriers that have stood in the way of users to date. Promoting sustainable mobility in Germany and Europe is just as important to us as the security and simplicity of payment processes in electromobility. The new solution has the potential to create a new payment standard in the e-mobility market," explains Dr. Andreas Spengel, Senior Vice President Fintech, Platforms and New Verticals at Mastercard Central Europe.