Charging forward: the impact of easy payments in the EV Charge user experience
Till recent days it used to be that automotive companies decided what it meant to drive a car. Today there are far more voices determining what quality car experiences look like and some of them come from other industries such us digital technology and e-commerce.
What we’re witnessing is a shift in consumers’ behaviors. What they ask for, in every field of their lives, is to have the same easy, smart and seamless experiences they have on their favorite devices. This change is so relevant that the European Parliament included guidance on this topic in it Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR).
The European Regulation context
On 20 September, the European Parliament approved the text of the AFIR, one of the most important components of the “Fit for 55” package.
This means that more recharging and refueling stations for alternative fuels will be deployed in the coming years across Europe enabling the transport sector tosignificantly reduce its carbon footprint. The text of the regulation provides for specific deployment targets that will have to be met in 2025 or 2030, in particular from 2025 onwards, fast recharging stations of at least 150kW for cars and vans need to be installed every 60 km along the EU’s main transport corridors, the so-called ‘trans-European transport (TEN-T) network’.
The text of the Regulation underlines also that users of electric or hydrogen-fuelled vehicles must be able to pay easily at recharging or refueling points with payment cards or contactless devices and without a need for a subscription and in full price transparency.
Seamless experiences for smart users
The intentions of the European regulators institutes have therefore captured the consumer's need for seamless charging experiences that facilitate the overall experience and do not create friction to the innovation of the entire mobility sector. A need that Fortech has been working on for some time. As a tech company specialized in petrol station automation and payment systems, Fortech has in fact been offering the market solutions that enable recharging without the need to download an app.
A choice born from a deep analysis of the typical criticalities of today's e-mobility context, namely:
- Extreme fragmentation of the apps to be used (No interoperability);
- Waste of time and difficulty in understanding how to pay for a recharge;
- Inhomogeneous recharging experience;
As a response to these critical issues, Fortech has created recharging solutions that replicate the user experience of traditional refueling and are therefore not dependent on apps or difficult activation procedures.
Thanks to Fortech terminals, therefore, users can pay for recharges using directly credit and debit cards, International fuel and fleet cards, mobile payment and contactless, without any user registration on apps and/or web portals.
A huge advantage especially for those who travel with their EV in different countries or in areas not always well covered by Internet.
Fortech EV Charging payment terminals are prepared for an easy and immediate user experience.
The cashless parking & charging terminal
e-smartOPT is the new smart payment terminal for parking management and self-service EV recharging, from which it’s possible to manage several recharge points (AC and/or DC) simultaneously. e-smartOPT features a 12" flat touch-screen display with vandal-proof glass, card reader, antenna contactless, QR code reader and voice guidance, which assists the user during the recharging flow.
The contactless reader allows you to pay for electric recharges by bringing your card or smartphone close to the NFC reader. The terminal also enables you to run interactive promotional campaigns by playing advertising videos on the monitor and the QRcode reader through which you can use vouchers and coupons.
The entire infrastructure of a charging area is controlled by the “Fortech Electric Gateway”, the interoperable system for managing charging stations, payment terminals, mobile application and electronic invoicing.
OPTcompact: mini size, maxi performance
OPTcompact is the innovative compact terminal, only slightly larger than a smartphone, which enables the management of electric recharges directly in self-service, without need of user registration. The terminal is equipped with a card reader for magnetic stripe, chip and contactless, and allows all different types of cashless payment, including via smartphone by Apple Pay, Google Pay and Satispay.
OPTcompact is available in different models: as a standalone version, wall-mounted or embedded directly on the recharge station.
The terminal is equipped with a backlit cover to allow greater visibility at night. Voice guidance in several languages (Italian, English, French, German, Spanish) assists the user in the recharging process. Graphical interfaces allow optimal use directly from the 5" touchscreen display. In case of need, a support button is available to get in touch directly with dedicated assistance.
OPTcompact allows you to manage recharge stations, DC or AC. The device is ready to send a receipt or invoice to be received via SMS directly to your smartphone. The device configuration, recharge stations and prices are fully customisable to meet different needs.
>> Check out the Fortech website to learn more about our smart solutions for the industry.
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