The need to remove PIN-pad obligations for EV charging payments
ChargeUp Europe, Avere, bdew, Doet, Euroelectric and Inspire welcome the publication of the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), a key pillar of the “Fit for 55” legislative package.
As industry stakeholders from across the globe representing the whole electric charging eco-system, we believe in the importance of the transport sector’s contribution to sustainable energy and the ambition of climate neutrality. We are cooperating closely as industry and with government and civil society to achieve these important goals. In that context, we also support efforts to take a consumer-focused approach to make driving and charging electric vehicles (EVs) more convenient and reliable.
How consumers pay for charging EVs is an important element in their charging experience and ensuring the availability of widely used payment methods will increase the acceptability and accessibility of EVs. However, it is our collective view and concern that the AFIR proposals obligation for direct payment card functionality on public charging stations is overestimating the positive impact for customers and underestimating the negative consequences on overall EV infrastructure and availability of charging.