Payment terminals for EV charging: Expand ad hoc payment options with AMPECO

Turn a market necessity into a business opportunity

To keep up with digital transaction trends, EV charging network operators must prioritize cashless payments at stations. This has become essential to meet the surge in unattended commerce and self-service payments that EV drivers have grown accustomed to, often paying for services with just a simple card swipe.

Both consumer preferences and regulatory compliance fuel the widespread adoption of payment terminals in EV charging. To ensure convenience and accessibility for drivers, regulatory bodies often require cashless payment options. For example, the European Union’s Payment Services Directive mandates payment terminals in Europe for secure and seamless digital payments, while California pricing requirements mandate payment terminals to provide a reliable payment experience.  Implementing payment terminals at charging stations facilitates seamless cashless payment options, allowing any driver to charge at public stations without the hassle of creating a profile, registering, or using separate apps for EV charging providers.

Common payment terminal challenges faced by CPOs

Charge point operators must carefully consider the payment terminal implementation, payment terminal manufacturer, and Payment Service Provider (PSP) best suited to their goals and specific requirements. 

If you utilize a payment terminal setup that relies on the software provided by the device manufacturer, you will be required to support two systems to configure prices: the payment terminal system and your CPMS (charge point management system). This results in increased complexity, higher maintenance costs, and elevated operational risks. You will also face limitations in tariffing flexibility since, typically, the terminal software cannot match the pricing capabilities offered by your CPMS.

Business priorities will vary depending on your size and aspirations. Large-scale EV charging providers seek greater control, flexibility, and customization in their payment solutions. This includes choosing reputable partners, integrating seamlessly with their systems, and achieving long-term cost savings through minimal transaction fees and high turnover. On the other hand, small-scale EV charging providers prioritize ready-made solutions, rapid time-to-market, and short-term cost reductions. 

However, implementing payment terminals for all charge points can be a substantial investment for CPOs. The expenses involved encompass the devices’ costs, installation, and potentially retrofitting or adding additional payment kiosks to existing charge points. The conventional setup of one device per charger further contributes to complexity and costs instead of leveraging software to enable a setup where a single device can manage multiple charge points.

Use one payment terminal to manage multiple charging stations with AMPECO

By employing a setup where a single terminal device can be used for multiple charge points at a given location, you can streamline operations and reduce costs. This centralized approach allows you to manage pricing from a single place, eliminating the need to support multiple systems and simplifying tariff management. 

Furthermore, it enables you to support multi-component tariffs, providing flexibility and customization options for pricing structures. Additionally, this setup grants you access to comprehensive charging session data, facilitating enhanced troubleshooting and driver support. Moreover, the system’s out-of-the-box feature enables the automatic issuance of receipts, giving you control over their contents and timing, ensuring a convenient and seamless experience for EV drivers.

Streamlining payment terminal integration with AMPECO

AMPECO’s recommended approach to working with payment terminals is where the payment terminals are integrated with the CPMS. In this setup, you own the communication with the charge point and the payment terminal device and control their behavior. 

Within AMPECO’s backend, you can configure a payment terminal device to apply to either an individual charge point or an entire location consisting of a group of charge points. You can also access charging session data and all transactions facilitated through the payment terminal. This includes transaction ID, timestamp, total amount, status, and other payment-related information, which supports better troubleshooting and driver support. Additionally, the AMPECO backend system maintains a detailed audit log, capturing all changes made to the payment terminals’ setup, ensuring transparency and accountability. 

To have full control and further enhance the user experience, AMPECO offers a payment terminal app that operates on the device itself. This app serves as the interface for EV drivers to initiate and conclude their charging sessions, seamlessly guiding them to the transaction’s payment gateway or payment processor. Simultaneously, it communicates with the AMPECO backend system, transferring data about the charging session and enabling control over the charge point’s behavior. This comprehensive integration between the payment terminal app, the backend system, and the charge point ensures a cohesive and efficient process for both the charge point operator and EV drivers.

Why CPOs should partner with AMPECO for payment terminals 

Charge point operators servicing public charging use cases, such as parking operators, can benefit in the following ways. 

• You can choose your desired payment terminal device manufacturer or payment service provider, enabling customization and flexibility. 
• Gain greater control over your operations by working directly with your preferred PSP, payment gateway, and acquiring banks. AMPECO empowers you to establish direct relationships without charging a fee as an intermediary. This enables you to negotiate better terms, reduce transaction costs, and maintain more flexibility and autonomy over your payment processes. 
• Have full control over acquiring all necessary services from a single provider or creating a customized bundle from different providers to ensure a comprehensive and tailored solution.
• Implement a “single terminal device for multiple charge points” setup that reduces upfront and maintenance costs and minimizes operational risks. 
• Manage pricing from a single central location and streamline processes, minimize operational risks, and optimize costs.
• Cater to diverse EV driver needs with our multilingual payment terminal app that supports various languages.
• Get comprehensive guidance and support at every step, ensuring a smooth and successful implementation process.

How charge point manufacturers stand to gain by partnering with AMPECO for payment terminals

Charge point manufacturers face the challenge of staying ahead of the competition and meeting the ever-growing demands of their customers. By joining forces with AMPECO for payment terminals, CPOs can offer comprehensive payment solutions and maintain their competitive advantage in the market in the following ways:

• Reduce the total cost of ownership for CPOs by offering a bundled solution that includes charge points, payment terminals, and CPMS software
• Utilize a single CPMS software to manage charge points and payment terminals to help optimize costs and reduce complexity. 
• Choose their preferred payment terminal device manufacturers or payment service providers to allow for customization and compatibility, ensuring the best fit for their client’s needs. 

Why EV drivers will love your payment terminals

Payment terminals at EV chargers offer a hassle-free payment experience. Drivers can conveniently tap their debit or credit card on the terminal, eliminating the need to create a profile, register or download multiple apps to charge. 

To cater to the diverse needs of EV drivers, the payment terminal app often features a multi-language interface so that individuals speaking different languages can easily use the app. Lastly, EV drivers automatically receive a receipt for their charging session, streamlining the documentation process and providing them with the necessary transaction records. These benefits create a more efficient and user-friendly charging experience for EV drivers.

Grow your EV charging business with a comprehensive payment solution

AMPECO has integrated with leading payment terminals and service providers for EV charging. You can assemble your custom EV charging payment solution using your preferred payment terminal device manufacturer and payment processor. This allows you to increase unattended sales for your EV charging business, as EV drivers can pay for charging sessions without needing multiple apps.

By integrating payment terminals with our EV charging platform, you can turn your payment terminals into powerful business tools. You can set tariffs, apply user groups, set custom restrictions, and access powerful reporting all in one place – AMPECO’s EV charging management platform.