AFIR: Accessible payment at charging stations

AFIR stands for ‘Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation’, but it does not refer only to ‘Fuels’, i.e. propellants or fuels. The objectives set out in the paper primarily address battery electric vehicles: the focus is on the density and performance of charging infrastructure along the main European transport routes.

By December 31, 2030, fast charging points for cars and light commercial vehicles with a capacity of at least 150 kW are to be gradually available every 60 km along the routes of this Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). For trucks, the regulation also provides for step-by-step coverage of the entire TEN-T road network by the end of 2030. However, every 100 km in each direction, charging parks with at least 1.5 GW and individual charging points with at least 350 kW are to be available.

Therefore, when organizing one’s own logistics fleet, it is particularly important to deploy vehicles according to demand. If the weight of the transported goods plays only a minor role, but a large volume is relevant (e.g. in parcel delivery), large electric vehicles with bigger batteries (if required by the length of the routes) can be used. For higher transport weights beyond one ton (e.g. palletized goods or in so-called two-man handling with bulky and heavy goods), good route planning with the shortest possible distances (allowing for a smaller battery) or short charging stops at DC chargers during the day is necessary.

The expansion of the charging network with more and higher-performance charging stations is undoubtedly essential for the widespread transition from combustion engines to battery-powered electric drives. However, many people who already use electric cars or electric trucks today do not see the density of charging stations, especially on long-distance routes, as the most pressing problem, but rather the high electricity prices, the lack of price transparency, and the non-standardized payment process. These are precisely the issues addressed by the AFIR regulation. It demands “reasonable” charging prices through “adequate profit margins,” as well as “mandatory roaming capability” similar to the mobile communications sector. This is intended to allow mobility service providers to purchase and resell electricity at fair prices even outside their own charging networks. In addition, AFIR obliges member states to actively monitor the charging market, especially when certain business practices prevent competition. After all, lack of competition always leads to excessive prices at charging stations.

It is different when it comes to payment: Here, AFIR specifically stipulates that, since the regulation came into force on April 13, 2024, newly installed public charging stations with a charging capacity of 50 kW per charging point must accept card payments. This does not refer to the charging cards of special electricity providers, which are unpopular with many EV users, but rather to common debit and credit cards as well as their digital variants on smartphones (e.g. Apple Pay or Google Pay). As of January 1, 2027, older charging points must also be retrofitted for this simple and conventional payment method.

That means: By 2027 at the latest, ad-hoc payment at public fast charging stations should be available nationwide thanks to AFIR. Standing at a fast charging station that does not provide charging power without a special app, charging card, or even a subscription with fees will then finally be a thing of the past.

Payment restricted to special charging cards, apps, or proprietary payment pages can be seen as the greatest barrier so far for a large part of e-mobility users when using public charging infrastructure. Another important point that AFIR addresses is overall usability. The regulation emphasizes that a charging process must be possible regardless of body size, age, physical strength, or any kind of physical limitation. This refers, for example, to the height of the control display or sufficient space around the parking spot, e.g. for wheelchair users. In other words, the entire charging process should be designed to be user-friendly.