The solution is designed to handle charging processes “directly, easily and securely using all common cashless payment and authorization methods.” The product also meets the requirements of the AFIR (Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation), it says.
First, however, the “practical evaluation” of Smartlab’s payment terminal is scheduled for a pilot project. According to the accompanying press release, Energie Südbayern plays a crucial role in the project. The energy company is providing its own charging infrastructure in the commuter car park next to the A8 motorway, Sulzemoos exit, for the project. Smartlab, for its part, is integrating the payment terminal. As the initiator of this pilot project, Mastercard is contributing its expertise in the field of digital payment solutions “to drive innovation and promote the seamless integration of payment services into electromobility.”
“The project in Sulzemoos can become a blueprint for many other charging park locations in southern Bavaria. Secure and, above all, convenient payment is an essential prerequisite for driving forward the sustainable mobility transition more quickly,” says Marcus Böske, spokesman for the management of Energie Südbayern. “The introduction of the Smartlab payment terminal offers users more options for paying for the charging process. We expressly welcome this because it simplifies access for a broader user base,” adds Mark Walcher from Smartlab. “Electromobility can only prevail if a comprehensive supply of charging options is guaranteed that is geared to the needs of e-car drivers. Uniform standards and secure, open payment systems are important in order to promote acceptance among consumers and strengthen sustainable e-mobility,” says Peter Robejsek, Managing Director at Mastercard Germany.
The pilot project was created from a cooperation with Thüga. The company, Smartlab and Mastercard announced in September last year that they had developed a system for card payments at charging stations. Energie Südbayern was involved as the implementer. After all, the energy supplier belongs to the Thüga Group. In addition to Energie Südbayern, other companies in the Thüga Group are planning to roll out the solution in the coming months, according to the announcement.
