In-person payments: a unified solution for Europe’s EV charging market

When it comes to paying to recharge, owners of electric cars want the same level of convenience as petrol drivers. But to many, that seems an unattainable desire as e-mobility picks up speed and the charging market morphs into an increasingly fragmented mess of different sign-ups, subscriptions, fleet cards, incentive programs, and loyalty schemes. Why can’t EV drivers simply pull in and pay to recharge with their bank card the way ICE drivers pay to pump gas? Never has the need for a unified payment processing ecosystem within a given segment been greater.

Driving change in the fuel market

The rapidly increasing number of electric cars on European roads demands accelerated development of infrastructure coupled with seamless interoperability. The push is coming not just from EV drivers and fleet operators but from within the EU itself, with the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) expected to come into force next year.

What is AFIR and what does it mean for petrol and charging stations?

Part of the EU’s plan for a green transition, the so-called Fit For 55 package, the AFIR mandates all EU member states to achieve specific power output targets at public charging stations. It also calls for construction of fast-charge stations every 60 km along main transport corridors.

Of key importance for EV owners, however, is an obligation to equip all public charging stations with cEMV card readers.

One platform, one terminal, dozens of payment methods

Transforming the EV charging payment landscape into a single, efficient system should be the ultimate goal of any future regulation, and markets should start preparing now.

Enter Switchio. Our comprehensive platform for in-person payments is designed around a core idea: less fragmentation in EV charging equals faster growth in e-mobility.

The Switchio platform processes contactless payments made by EMV, smartphone, or fleet card on more than 40 different types of point-of-sale devices, and it also supports loyalty and incentive schemes. Switchio condenses the EV-charging ecosystem into a single, sleek system for easy implementation throughout the EU at both attended and unattended stations. The solution can also be readily deployed at parking facilities.