E-cars: Search for new standards

E-cars: Search for new standards

Admittedly, the economic interest is obvious, but the topic actually makes sense for the general public: Visa has launched a call to standardize systems for seamless and compatible payment at charging stations for electric vehicles in Europe: The European charging infrastructure industry should work to give consumers the freedom to pay using the method of their choice - primarily through open and interoperable payment systems, according to the credit card giant.

There is currently no uniform industry standard for accepting payments at e-charging stations in Europe. This means that consumers often have no choice when it comes to payment methods. They are often forced to choose a specific option (e.g. signing up for a provider's app) or even face the prospect of not being able to charge their vehicle because they are not registered with a specific subscription service.

Remove obstacles

Only a few European countries – like Germany – have already enshrined a uniform approach in law. To help improve the situation for consumers in Europe, Visa is launching a survey among e-charging station manufacturers and other industry-leading companies. The exchange aims to help identify and find solutions to barriers to the widespread adoption of interoperable contactless and digital payments. 

Domestic industry representatives such as Günther Kerle, spokesman for Austrian automobile importers, or Klaus Edelsbrunner, chairman of the federal vehicle trade committee in the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, have already expressed a need for action. They also demand uniformly regulated tariffs. Edelsbrunner recently spoke at the Presentation of the new registration figures for 2021 from a veritable “tariff jungle” with difficult to compare conditions from different providers, for which customers also need their own cards.

Private individuals hardly buy electric cars

This would also explain why electric cars are still selling poorly to Mr. and Mrs. Austrians. The latter is supported by the sales statistics: Although sales of purely electric cars more than doubled in 2021 (to 33,366 vehicles), this was almost exclusively due to corporate customers: the share of corporate purchases was around 84 percent. “The private market doesn’t really want to get going,” as importer spokesman Kerle emphasized. Two factors in particular are blamed for this: the charging infrastructure, which has not yet been optimally developed, and the existing “tariff jungle”.

Meanwhile, Visa also announced that it would become the first company in the financial services and payments industry to join the Charging Interface Initiative (CharIN) as a full member. CharIN is committed to promoting global electric vehicle charging standards by bringing together participants from across the electric mobility value chain. The initiative aims to develop a global infrastructure, a secure charging and payment protocol, and new technologies that will facilitate the transition to electromobility and promote its faster spread. As part of the CharIN membership, Visa wants to use its payment expertise to support these goals.

 “If we want people to drive electric, we have to make sure they can easily charge their vehicles,” says Tobias Czekalla, Country Manager Germany at Visa. The aim is to support market participants in Germany in the seamless implementation of the charging station regulation and to help enable a smooth payment infrastructure at charging stations across Europe.

Claas Bracklo, Chairman of CharIN e.V., says: “As we reach a tipping point in the adoption and distribution of electric vehicles, a global standard for connecting infrastructure and providing a seamless experience for electric vehicle drivers is more important than ever.” CharIN has been working with OEMs, charger manufacturers, software and component providers, energy suppliers, public utilities and many other actors in the electric vehicle charging value chain for many years. “We are very pleased that Visa is now part of our alliance and will use its wealth of experience to help ensure that customers can pay easily, quickly and securely,” continued Bracklo.