Paythru releases guiding principles
EV payment specialist Paythru has published a proposed set of guiding principles aimed at greater collaboration among the payments sector, public charge point operators, and charge point management systems.
The move has been undertaken by the firm to address current problems with the charging payment process. Shaped by its own research, and conversations with the industry around what drivers want.
It is also backed by the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA), as part of its ongoing mission to accelerate the UK’s transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.
Paythru proposes the following set of guiding principles for all EV charge points, with the methods addressed in the charter:
- No more confusion over charging costs
- Standardised and reliable payment methods
- Minimise payment failures
- Clarity and transparency in pre-authorisation
- Simplified transaction and notification processes
Paythru sees the charter as the starting point to achieving this. It now hopes to form a working group with other industry players to refine the charter and present it back to the wider industry as a set of shared principles that all parties believe everyone should sign up to.
Keith Brown, Paythru’s Managing Director, said:
“As EV charging has become more mainstream, it has become increasingly apparent that current payment solutions are contributing to a poor user experience. Some issues are due to a lack of common standards and interoperability, while others are caused by variations between chargers, which are fine individually, but confusing as a whole.
“The industry needs to work together to solve these problems and provide a robust and universal charging experience. This will help users trust that wherever they charge their EVs, they can pay in the way they want, ultimately leading to an increase in EV drivers and happier customers.”
“We can help in many cases, but we can’t do it alone. Collaboration and leadership are at the heart of the solution. To create a coherent solution, we all need to work together to agree on the best way to do things for everyone.
“Our hope is that all charge point operators and charge point management system providers will sign up to this charter, to provide a frictionless and consistent charging experience for EV drivers, no matter where they charge.”
Matt Adams, Transport Policy Manager at the REA, said:
“We are pleased to see our member Paythru take a pro-active approach in designing this charter which will improve the consumer experience and make paying for charging as easy as paying for a cup of coffee.
“Overall, we are assured that our members are willing and ready to support Paythru with this charter. We look forward to working with Paythru in the future to make this charter a reality across the UK and inspire other countries too.”
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