EVSE that takes a standard credit or debit card

[KJD]

In order for EV's to compete with gas vehicles, the EV needs to be just as easy to use and refuel as a gas car.

I can go to any gas station around and fill up using a standard Visa card. Most of the public EV stations require a RFID card or some other method that looks like something extra to go wrong.

What is the best available EVSE option right now ?

Thanks for your input,
KJD

 

[Volusiano]

In order for EV's to compete with gas vehicles, the EV needs to be just as easy to use and refuel as a gas car.

It's even easier to refuel than a gas car . You just plug it in your garage at night and forget about it and unplug it in the morning. No need to go to any gas station to refuel.

I can go to any gas station around and fill up using a standard Visa card. Most of the public EV stations require a RFID card or some other method that looks like something extra to go wrong.

What's the big deal with using an RFID that has a built-in charge account charged to your credit card? It still accepts your credit card just the same, except with a different set up.
I personally think it's safer to use an RFID card with a built-in account charged to your credit card. If you have to bring along your credit card for gas purchases, losing that credit card can lead to false use of it by others not just for gas but for anything. Losing an RFID EV charging card is not as susceptible to false use because all people can do with it is to charge their own EV, if they even have one.

What is the best available EVSE option right now ?

Thanks for your input,
KJD

I assume you're asking within the context of paying for refueling. Then the best option is to use one to charge in your garage, then you don't even need to ask whether it takes standard credit card or not. You just pay your utility company like you've been doing already. The next best option for a public EVSE is to pay via an RFID linked to an account linked to a credit card.

I must say you're really worried about the WRONG thing here. The ability to pay for refuelling using a standard credit or debit card is the last thing any BEV owner has to worry about because it's such a trivial thing to worry about. Only ICE car owners have to worry about such a thing.

 

[KJD]

In order for EV's to compete with gas vehicles, the EV needs to be just as easy to use and refuel as a gas car.

It's even easier to refuel than a gas car . You just plug it in your garage at night and forget about it and unplug it in the morning. No need to go to any gas station to refuel.

I have had my Leaf for a couple of weeks now. You are right it is easy to fill up at home.

What if I want to go somewhere 60 or 70 miles away, now I need a public charge station and these are few and far between in Utah.

 

[KJD]

What's the big deal with using an RFID that has a built-in charge account charged to your credit card? It still accepts your credit card just the same, except with a different set up.
I personally think it's safer to use an RFID card with a built-in account charged to your credit card. If you have to bring along your credit card for gas purchases, losing that credit card can lead to false use of it by others not just for gas but for anything. Losing an RFID EV charging card is not as susceptible to false use because all people can do with it is to charge their own EV, if they even have one.

Do you know how many plastic cars I have in my wallet already? Answer, Too dang many. I do not need or want another dang card to carry around.

Have you read about other people having trouble getting a Blink card ?
There are problems with the RFID system that I would rather avoid.
What if wife takes car and puts the RFID card in her purse and not back in the car. Now I take the car and get to charge station and no RFID card. Compare that to CC payment. She has her card and I have my card. Not a problem.

What if I have a Blink card and I need a charge from a Coloumb station ?

 

[Volusiano]

What's the big deal with using an RFID that has a built-in charge account charged to your credit card? It still accepts your credit card just the same, except with a different set up.
I personally think it's safer to use an RFID card with a built-in account charged to your credit card. If you have to bring along your credit card for gas purchases, losing that credit card can lead to false use of it by others not just for gas but for anything. Losing an RFID EV charging card is not as susceptible to false use because all people can do with it is to charge their own EV, if they even have one.

Do you know how many plastic cars I have in my wallet already? Answer, Too dang many. I do not need or want another dang card to carry around.

Have you read about other people having trouble getting a Blink card ?
There are problems with the RFID system that I would rather avoid.
What if wife takes car and puts the RFID card in her purse and not back in the car. Now I take the car and get to charge station and no RFID card. Compare that to CC payment. She has her card and I have my card. Not a problem.

What if I have a Blink card and I need a charge from a Coloumb station ?

I have a Blink card and a ChargePoint card and I leave both of them with the car. No sense to keep them in the wallet. That way, whoever has the Leaf automatically has access to the cards.

I suspect EVSE stations go the RFID route because that's the way of the future. Eventually even credit cards will go the RFID route as well.

 

[Herm]

Using a credit card assumes anyone can use that EVSE, but many networks are going to membership models without a pay-per-use option.. I read a lot of complaints from the European Leaf forums, they have like 100 different small networks, about carrying a walletfull of specialized RFID cards.

Use a regular credit or debit card (they all have security provisions) and always offer a pay-per-use option as a backup to your membership issued RFID card. A plus is that you will gather lots of marketing data comparing club vs pay-per-use for free.

 

[tps]

I'm sure this will happen, just as it did with gas stations. (You know they weren't always that way, either.)

 

[DarkStar]

I can go to any gas station around and fill up using a standard Visa card. Most of the public EV stations require a RFID card or some other method that looks like something extra to go wrong.

What is the best available EVSE option right now ?

If your credit/debit card supports PayPass (on MasterCard) or PayWave (a.k.a. Blink, on Visa), you can use most ChargePoint EVSEs without having a ChargePoint card. Just hold your card up to it to unlock the door of J1772 nozzle.

If you want to actually "swipe" a card, OpConnect is the only EVSE manufacturer I know with the capability currently. ShorePower is working on developing a unit, but I haven't seen one of theirs in action yet.

 

[EVDRIVER]

CC readers break and get messed up in these type of environments and the RFID is sealed in the unit. At the moment there are so few stations to not worry about it too much. I keep mine in the car and it's fine for the occasional use.

 

[planet4ever]

Given the number of recent reports of credit card machine tampering I would be very hesitant to swipe my card in any area that is not continually monitored, and most charging stations are not. Like Volusiano, my ChargePoint card stays in the car at all times. I got the small keyring type, which came on a chain. I slipped the chain over the headlight/turn signal switch lever, where it is always conveniently available.

Ray

 

[TomT]

With the ease of credit card skimming these days, I prefer the current EVSE approach.

In order for EV's to compete with gas vehicles, the EV needs to be just as easy to use and refuel as a gas car.
I can go to any gas station around and fill up using a standard Visa card. Most of the public EV stations require a RFID card or some other method that looks like something extra to go wrong.

 

[DarkStar]

Given the number of recent reports of credit card machine tampering I would be very hesitant to swipe my card in any area that is not continually monitored, and most charging stations are not. Like Volusiano, my ChargePoint card stays in the car at all times. I got the small keyring type, which came on a chain. I slipped the chain over the headlight/turn signal switch lever, where it is always conveniently available.

With the ease of credit card skimming these days, I prefer the current EVSE approach.

From a "skimming" perspective, it's a lot easier to skim a contact-less (RFID) card. You don't even need to take it out of your wallet. Personally I prefer being to swipe my card through because I can check for physical skimming devices a lot easier than invisible RFID cloning devices.

 

[planet4ever]

From a "skimming" perspective, it's a lot easier to skim a contact-less (RFID) card. You don't even need to take it out of your wallet. Personally I prefer being to swipe my card through because I can check for physical skimming devices a lot easier than invisible RFID cloning devices.

But how many people would be interested in a skimmed RFID that is only usable for charging an EV?

Ray

 

[electricslide]

My local public EVSE in NYC takes credit cards, magnetic strip & chipped. Frankly, I hate carrying cards. Even a wallet. New cell phones will have RFID (cross your fingers). Some already do. With google wallet, you can keep all of accounts in your cell phone and leave your wallet at home.

 

[KJD]

My local public EVSE in NYC takes credit cards, magnetic strip & chipped. Frankly, I hate carrying cards. Even a wallet. New cell phones will have RFID (cross your fingers). Some already do. With google wallet, you can keep all of accounts in your cell phone and leave your wallet at home.

How about posting a picture of that NYC device in action ?

Any idea who makes the EVSE ?

KJD

 

[pii100]

I can confirm that NFC equipped phones work on chargepoint EVSEs. The future is here.