While using a credit card at a gas station has long been the standard for fuel purchases, the same has not been true for electric vehicle (EV) charging. This is mainly due to the decentralized nature of EV charging networks and the high costs associated with payment terminals. As a result, subscription-based solutions—such as smartphone apps and web applications—have become the norm in this young industry. However, this approach is inconvenient for occasional users who would have to download an app just for a single charge.

The landscape is shifting. New regulations now mandate payment terminals, and the growth of large satellite-style payment kiosks at charging hubs is improving their cost-effectiveness.

Why Do You Need Payment Terminals?

There are several reasons why installing a payment terminal for public EV charging stations is beneficial:

1. Familiarity: Credit card payments are universally recognized and provide an easy-to-use option for consumers.
2. Accessibility: You want to offer your chargers to all drivers—whether they are registered subscribers or occasional users.
3. Regulatory Compliance: Payment terminals are becoming mandatory in different regions, such as the United Kingdom, for certain chargers in the United States, and Germany.
4. Convenience: “Swipe and charge” a simple and practical way to enable EV charging without requiring pre-registration.

How Do EV Payment Terminals Work?

A payment terminal is a physical device that allows drivers to initiate a charging transaction by swiping or tapping a credit card via an NFC reader. These terminals connect to Point-of-Sale (POS) software, which is integrated with an Acquirer Bank and an EV Charging backend.

The EV Charging platform manages pricing, session initiation and termination, and transaction billing. It then relays these transactions to the POS software, which handles invoicing through the Merchant Bank which ensures payments.

Costs & Considerations

• Hardware cost: $300 – $1,000
• Monthly fees: $30 – $50
• Transaction fees: 1.5% – 5%, depending on the provider and region

Due to integration requirements with acquirer banks and high-security standards (e.g., PCI-DSS compliance), these systems are typically provided by specialized companies such as Payter or Worldpay. To ensure seamless transaction processing, they must also be integrated with a Charge Point Management System (CPMS), such as the Saascharge platform.

What Is the Best Approach for Your EV Charging Installation?

When integrating payment terminals with EV charging stations, there are two primary setups: a standalone terminal for each charger or a shared kiosk that manages multiple chargers.

1. Embedded Payment Terminals (Standalone)

An embedded terminal is integrated directly into a charging station, allowing users to pay at each unit. This setup is most feasible for Super-Fast DC chargers (SFDC), as the cost of a payment terminal is almost as high as the cost of a Level 2 charger itself. Thus, for lower-powered stations, this solution may not be the most cost-effective.

2. Kiosk-Based Payment Terminals

A kiosk-based solution features a pedestal with a payment terminal that operates multiple charging stations. This is similar to traditional gas stations, where a single payment terminal controls multiple fuel pumps.

This approach is particularly attractive for Level 2 chargers and charging hubs. We recommend the Saascharge Kiosk setup, which offers the following benefits:

• Cost Efficiency: Especially for Level 2 chargers, as multiple stations can share a single terminal.
• Simplified Maintenance: Repairs and upgrades can be performed without dismantling individual chargers.
• Compatibility: The solution is independent of any specific charging station manufacturer and can be integrated with various chargers.

A complete kiosk solution typically costs between $2,000 and $4,000, with potential additional license fees. The price depends on the product configuration, including screen size, multilingual support, speakers, and installation materials.

However, a kiosk solution doesn’t have to be that expensive. Saascharge, in collaboration with ChargeM8, offers a cost-effective alternative using the Sigma Pedestal with the Payter Apollo terminal. This solution starts at just $1,000 for a full setup—with no additional license fees. That translates to as little as $100 to $250 per charger, depending on the number of chargers connected to the kiosk.

When shall You start?

As the EV charging market continues to evolve, payment terminals are becoming a key component of public charging infrastructure. Whether through embedded payment systems for high-power chargers or cost-effective kiosks for Level 2 charging hubs competitive solutions exists.

We believe that increasing convenience by offering multiple payment methods at charging stations boosts the number of charging sessions and enhances the chances of converting occasional users into subscription-based smartphone users.

So, why wait? Now is the time to integrate an EV payment terminal into your charging network. With the right setup, you can ensure accessibility, compliance, and a seamless charging experience for all users.

At Saascharge, we believe that collaboration and knowledge sharing are the keys to thriving in the fast-paced EV charging industry. Staying informed is critical with new protocols (e.g., OCPP 2.0, ISO 15118, AI energy load prediction…), market entrants, and increasingly complex billing concepts. When new market players start or migrate to a new platform—whether their own or the Saascharge platform—the industry landscape can be overwhelming. This makes continuous access to best practices and use cases essential for success.

As a specialized and independent EV charging SaaS platform, Saascharge has developed a collaborative approach with our partners. By sharing insights and strategies, we help them remain competitive in their respective segments, whether targeting the hospitality sector (e.g., hotels, restaurants), the retail industry (e.g., shopping malls, stores), real estate, or fleet management. Now, we’re taking this a step further with the launch of the Saascharge Access Portal, designed to share: a centralized platform that simplifies access to key resources and supports scalability like no other in the EV charging industry.

• Product Updates
• Latest Market News
• Training Documentation
• Sales Materials (e.g., EV charging presentations for EMPs and CPOs)
• Direct Support Access
• And more…

How Do We Support Your EV Charging Network Objectives?

The EV charging market thrives on scalability and resource optimization. Maximizing transactions per charging point is essential. To achieve this, chargers need to be highly visible, easily locatable, and competitively priced for users searching for charging facilities. Once users arrive, delivering a seamless charging experience—accessible to both registered and non-registered EV drivers—is crucial.

Achieving these objectives involves many processes. At Saascharge, we are committed to sharing these processes openly with our active customers and partners through the Access Portal.

For instance, consider a company electrifying its fleet. The process begins with defining the required capacity and understanding the charging patterns: When does charging need to occur? Next, decisions must be made about the type of charging hardware—whether AC or DC—and the necessary power load. Additionally, the organization must consider:

• Multi-purpose usage: Can the chargers also serve employees or guests?
• Pricing structures: What pricing conditions should apply to each consumer group?
• Home charging: How can home chargers for company cars be managed effectively?
• International eRoaming: Should eRoaming be enabled for cross-border transactions?
• Access methods: What types of access are most suitable—RFID and Plug & Charge for the fleet, a smartphone app for employees, or QR code-based web access for guests?

These are just a few of the detailed, step-by-step analyses we support as part of our consultative approach.

“Sharing is winning. We believe that using platform functions alone isn’t enough. Setting up the right charging solution with the most competitive pricing tailored to your company’s needs can be a game changer—especially when applied with a strategic approach. That’s what we aim to support through our sessions and guides.”
– Richard Albrecht, Saascharge CEO

Let’s work together to make EV charging in 2025 the best experience possible. Contact us today to learn more or access the portal!

What is the right EV charging Access method for you?

There are multiple ways to charge an electric vehicle, but unless you’re using a charger in your home garage, you’ll need an access control method to initiate a charging transaction. They are known as ISO 15118 Plug & Charge, smartphone apps, web apps, RFID technology, payment terminals, and Autocharge. The question arises: How do they function and which one should we choose? The objective of this post is to determine the optimal charging access method, whether you’re utilizing a public (commercial), semi-public (fleet), or private (apartment) charging station.

What are these access methods and how do they work?

EV charging access methods encompass the technologies used to identify a driver and initiate a charging transaction, aimed at authorizing and invoicing EV drivers. These methods often utilize physical means such as RFID cards or remote access via smartphone or web applications. It’s important to understand that while these methods facilitate invoicing, they should not be mistaken for the billing protocol, which manages payments after the transaction. We have chosen to categorize access methods based on customer profiles: registered users (subscribers) or occasional users (non-subscribers).

A. Subscriber EV charging Access method: Requiring prior registration for payment

These are EV charging access solutions that necessitate registration with an eMobility Service Provider (EMPs).

Smartphone App

This method entails EV drivers downloading a smartphone application from an online store (e.g., Play Store, Apple Store…). EV drivers are required to register to access multiple functions such as charging station identification (QR code or map point selection), initiating and stopping charging sessions, setting up payment methods (e.g., credit card, Google Pay…), and other features like monitoring energy load and trip planning. These applications are connected to a backend system to facilitate transactions and manage payments.

+	–
Compatibility with all chargers Account visibility (e.g. usage, money…) Additional service availability (Location, wallet, planning…)	Usability for regular user: Requires to open a smartphone app Lengthy charger selection process (QR or map)

RFID

RFID is a widely adopted technology for access control in offices, homes, or hotel rooms… To use this method, an EV driver must register and obtain a physical RFID card from an eMobility provider (EMP). The EMP registers the card with its Unique Identifier (UID) to a backend system to manage authorization. The EV driver simply swipes the RFID card on a charging station RFID reader, sending the UID data for identification to the backend. If the card identification is validated, the charging transaction will commence.

+	–
Ease of use (Swipe) Compatibility with almost any charger	No usage visibility Logistic delivery process (card shipping) Security (e.g. copy of UID fraud)

Autocharge

Autocharge is the capability to recognize a vehicle connected to a charging station automatically. This functionality allows a charging station equipped with Autocharge to directly identify a connected vehicle using its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or MAC address. Subsequently, this data is transmitted to the eMobility platform for validation. Autocharge is considered a Plug & Charge charging method. The identification principle is similar to RFID, as the user must register the car data with the eMobility provider.

+	–
Ease of use (Plug & charge) Setup ease for charging network	Not applicable for eRoaming Lengthy registration process with Mac address No usage visibility Limited to DC chargers

Plug & Charge (ISO 15118)

The ISO 15118 principle is comparable to Autocharge, with the distinction that this technology handles the EV driver’s subscription through smart contracts registered within the electric vehicle. Similar to registering a phone with a cellular network, the user selects their eMobility provider (network) directly from the car. This enables secure charging across multiple EV charging networks without the risk of multiple subscriptions, as with Autocharge.

+	–
Ease of use (Plug & charge) Works with eRoaming In car registration process (infotainment system)	Limited market adoption of OEM (Charger & Cars)

B. Non-Subscriber EV Charging Access Method: On-Site Direct Payment

These are contactless methods that allow access on-site without prior registration.

QR – Web Application

This contactless payment method utilizes a QR code to open a web page, enabling users to initiate a transaction by entering payment details (such as credit cards or services like Google Pay or Apple Pay).

+	–
Cost attractive for Charging network (Cost a QR Sticker) Compatible to all charging stations	Potential Fraud risk (Information phishing cases)

Payment Terminal

The payment terminal is a physical device attached to a charging station that allows drivers to initiate a charging transaction by swiping a credit card on an NFC reader. These Point of Sale (POS) software systems are connected to the charging network backend, which manages the charging process, and to a merchant bank that facilitates settlement of the credit card payment.

+	–
Ease of use (Swipe & Charge)	High cost for the device and operation (for charging network) Limited to certain type of chargers

How shall I apply these access methods?

The decision to offer these various methods should primarily be based on the location and the type of customers.

We can observe how various technologies diverge depending on their usage. For example, contactless methods applicability depends on the type of charging stations with QR codes being suitable for Level 2, and credit card terminals being preferred for fast chargers. Additionally, in private and semi-private environments, RFID is ideal for residential settings with AC chargers, while Autocharge is well-suited for companies with fast chargers. When accessing public chargers, we recommend using a Smartphone application, and when applicable, Plug & Charge ISO 15118 due to its high level of convenience.

What Access Method Should EV Charging Networks Adopt?

 We recommend the following approach for eMobility providers and Charging Point Operators when selecting and applying access methods:

1st: Flexibility: Utilize these methods in parallel based on the service provider system (CPO or EMP backend) and charging station technology.

 

2nd: Openness: As a principle Commercial and Public charging stations should be accessible for both registered and non-registered users.

 

3rd: Convenience: Prioritize user experience, offering the convenience of using a service without registration, while registered users should benefit from features like “click & charge” or “Plug & Charge”.

Finally, commercial conditions should be tailored to the registration process. While charging services should be available to anyone, subscribers should always receive preferential conditions.