Payment system failures have a significant negative impact on electric vehicle (EV) charging sessions, affecting driver experience, accessibility, and reliability of charging infrastructure.
Impact of Payment System Failures on EV Charging Sessions
- Charging Session Failures: Payment system failures are a key cause of EV charging session failures. When payment cannot be accepted or processed, drivers are unable to initiate or complete charging, forcing them to find alternative stations.
- Accessibility and Convenience: Payment issues reduce the accessibility and convenience of EV charging. Charging should be a seamless experience, but payment disruptions can deter drivers, slow down adoption, and undermine trust in public charging networks.
- Complexity and Multiple Payment Methods: Different payment methods (credit card readers, RFID, NFC, apps, Plug & Charge, SMS) increase the complexity of solving payment problems. Network connectivity is essential for authenticating payments, and failures in connectivity often lead to payment failures.
- Driver Frustration and Lost Time: When payment fails, drivers lose time and may have to seek another charger, creating inconvenience and frustration. A quarter of reported payment problems involved complete payment failure, and in some cases, payments were accepted but the charger did not start, leading to paid-but-no-charge situations.
- Prevalence of Issues: Surveys indicate that about 23% of charging session problems involve payment issues. Networks like Shell Recharge, EVgo, and Blink have reported high payment-related problem rates (41% to 48% of sessions), while Tesla and Rivian networks report fewer issues (4-5%).
- Technical Failures Linked with Payment Systems: Payment system failures often coincide with other technical issues like unresponsive screens or network connectivity failures, which are critical for payment processing and charging session initiation.
- Industry and Research Response: Due to these challenges, organizations such as the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the ChargeX Consortium are focusing on improving payment systems to ensure reliability and build consumer trust in EV charging infrastructure.
In summary, payment system failures directly contribute to EV charging session failures, reduce reliability and driver satisfaction, and represent a barrier to wider EV adoption. Addressing these payment challenges is essential for creating a dependable and user-friendly EV charging network.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/how-do-payment-system-failures-impact-ev-charging-sessions/
