Pre-authorisation payments cause frustration for electric vehicle (EV) users primarily because of inconsistencies, lack of transparency, and delays in the process, leading to what is termed “payment anxiety.”
Key causes of frustration include:
- Uncertainty about the amount held: Different chargepoint operators reserve varying amounts of money on a driver’s debit or credit card to verify validity and ensure sufficient funds for charging. This inconsistency means drivers often do not know how much money will be temporarily held, causing confusion and concern about their available balance.
- Delays in releasing funds: After charging is complete, the pre-authorised amount can take variable lengths of time to be released back into the driver’s account, depending on the card issuer. This delay can cause unexpected “holds” on funds, which may be mistaken for actual charges, creating anxiety and surprise when checking bank balances or receiving payment alerts.
- Multiple pre-authorisations for failed attempts: Some operators pre-authorise an amount every time a user tries to charge, even if a previous attempt failed or the initial pre-authorisation is still valid. This can lead to multiple holds on the user’s account simultaneously, heightening frustration and confusion.
- Mistaking pre-authorisation for double charging: Because the pre-authorised amount appears as a hold rather than a completed payment, drivers sometimes believe they have been charged twice, adding to distrust and dissatisfaction with the payment process.
- Complex and inconsistent payment methods: Many EV users still rely on multiple payment methods and apps, and often face problems such as rejected cards or connectivity issues. This complex payment environment contributes to overall payment anxiety, with pre-authorisation being a major component of the problem.
- High incidence of pre-authorisation issues: Surveys reveal around 90% of EV drivers have been asked for pre-authorisation, and 80% have experienced issues related to it, underscoring how widespread and bothersome this problem is.
In sum, the lack of standardisation in pre-authorisation amounts, inconsistent release times, repeated holds for multiple charging attempts, and confusion over what the holds represent all cause considerable frustration for EV users. These issues add to existing concerns around EV charging—such as battery range and charger availability—and hinder the overall EV charging experience. Some experts advocate for standardised or incremental authorisation methods to progressively reserve funds based only on actual consumption, which could reduce these frustrations.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/how-do-pre-authorisation-payments-cause-frustration-for-ev-users/
