Why RFID cards?

[Simon J]

I’m considering going over to the dark side with an EV and the ZS seems a no brainer at the moment in terms of price and features. However, I’m still grappling with the contorted methods of paying. When buying petrol or diesel, we just go to the pump, insert our payment card, enter the PIN and we’re good to go. So why all the faffing around with online accounts, apps and RFID cards?

 

[Mark Holmes]

Hi Simon it’s not that bad once you know the areas you travel or live as this will limit the numbers of suppliers, download and have a look at Zap-Map and then you can research the areas where you would travel and charge, most offer good deals on apps, I got my first EV last March and haven’t looked back it just requires a little more thought process or planning, but you soon get used to it.

 

[Simon J]

Thanks, Mark. I’m sure I will get used to it but I genuinely don’t understand why the current system exists. I gather the government has mandated that all new installations must be operable with just a contactless card which is how they should have been at the outset. So why did all the suppliers insist on RFID cards, apps, etc?

 

[Mark Holmes]

What you’ll see is the difference in pay, RFID cards normal means you pay a month Membership fee, but discounted charging rates per KWh, App’s normally have the 2nd lowest fee as you are registered, no monthly fee, but top up and pay as you go and then there is contactless where you have no accounts and generally pay again a higher price per KWh of charge and therefore it depends on your type of usage or needs.

 

[Simon J]

Thanks again, Mark. I’d realised that there was a scale of charges but I still can’t see why such complexity was adopted other than as a way of trying to prevent competition by hooking people into one ecosystem. Over here in Norn Iron (Northern Ireland) charging seems to be still free as there’s only one supplier - ESB - and no one can compete with free, but they still require you to register and have an RFID card. Why do the suppliers need to know who I am. Tesco don’t require me to identify myself if I buy their petrol. Very odd!

 

[Dr Dave]

Thanks again, Mark. I’d realised that there was a scale of charges but I still can’t see why such complexity was adopted other than as a way of trying to prevent competition by hooking people into one ecosystem. Over here in Norn Iron (Northern Ireland) charging seems to be still free as there’s only one supplier - ESB - and no one can compete with free, but they still require you to register and have an RFID card. Why do the suppliers need to know who I am. Tesco don’t require me to identify myself if I buy their petrol. Very odd!

I have had my MG ZS EV in Northern Ireland for 10 months and have had free charging using the ESB RFID card (4750 miles free to date). Yes, you have to resister to receive free charging using the card, a small consession for free electricity. I really don't see the problem.

 

[Simon J]

But what purpose does the RFID card serve? Why is it necessary! Why can’t you just connect and charge automatically without registering? If I wanted to drive from Belfast to London and I decided to use the Belfast Cairnryan ferry to Scotland, it’d be bad enough working out where I’d need to stop for charging (at least three times on a journey like that, if not four) without having to sign up to three or four accounts, get the cards, download the apps. It seems crazy.

 

[SCB86]

Most newer machines are contactless PAYG like petrol pumps. Hopefully the old type will be phased out; contactless would help sell the idea of public charging to potential new EV buyers.

 

[Simon J]

That’s encouraging, and sensible, but I’m still curious why the cards are needed in the first place. Can no one explain why?

 

[Cocijo]

That’s encouraging, and sensible, but I’m still curious why the cards are needed in the first place. Can no one explain why?

I think it was initially seen as a way of increasing profit margins and an attempt at a grab of market share. All public charger should be contactless - so much easier.

 

[Simon J]

I think it was initially seen as a way of increasing profit margins and an attempt at a grab of market share. All public charger should be contactless - so much easier.

So no technical reason - just good ol' anti competitive behaviour?

 

[Jake]

Hi Simon. The dark side is very much brighter than you imagine. Yes I agree it all seems crazy having to have different RFIDs and apps but from last year the government insisted all new charge installations should be accessible by contactless so things will get more like buying petrol has been for many years.

For what it's worth I have only ever had a Polar RFID and never used an app to access charge points in 28,000 EV miles. I chose Polar because my local supermarket has free charging with the RFID and that covers a good chunk of the monthly subscription. On the road the charge per kWh is half that of contactless if not free. My home chargers are Polar and each month I can see all my charging activity on one bill which I find convenient to monitor usage.

Today it's much easier to find contactless charge points so I'm not sure whether I would choose to subscribe again. As others have said use Zap Map to research chargers wherever you plan to travel and decide what's best for you. Don't worry about it and enjoy the delights of EV driving. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Simon J]

Many thanks, Jake. I’m sure, if I take the plunge, that everything will be just fine. In truth, I’d be unlikely to undertake long journeys in GB, but even going from Belfast to visit a friend who live in the countryside south of Dublin would take careful planning. But that aside, I still can’t see why the electricity companies need to know who I am, or where I go. It’s outrageous, intrusive and anti competitive behaviour and the government should have legislated to stop it long ago. But presumably in their enthusiasm to promote zero emission travel they’ve let the companies get away with murder.

 

[Chrispydoc]

I have several cards.....just in case and have never used any of them! (in over a year and 7k miles)

I have used contactless payments twice at an Ecotricity charger, on a long trip.....the rest I charge at home.

 

[Simon J]

The bottom line seems to be that there is actually no technical reason for having cards, apps and so on as the latest charging stations simply require a contactless bank card for payment. The companies are/were just using them to try and tie you to their network with registration fees and monthly payments as a discouragement to using another network, who also played the same game.

 

[macd2401]

It's no different to a lot of other business models. They get you to sign up, possibly with an upfront fee or recurring charge, but then offer some carrots to keep you coming back to their network. We already have that sort of thing with any loyalty scheme you've ever used.

 

[Chrispydoc]

agreed......Pod Point have had £20 of my money for over a year.

I haven't Paid any of the others.

 

[Simon J]

A loyalty scheme is fine. You decide to sign up and get whatever benefits might be on offer. But the electricity suppliers are/weren’t offering an optional loyalty scheme - it's obligatory.

 

[kiltox]

I really like Osprey’s approach to this. Contactless payment at 36p/kWh as standard but you can use their app for a discount to 31p. Their app is good, too, because you don’t need to top it up, you register a card and they bill you monthly for what you actually use!



Any of the ones you need to top up can get in the sea though, especially GeniePoint.

 

[Simon J]

That’s fair enough. The 'loyalty' scheme is optional and you save on the cost. But if you’re just a casual user you can simply buy what you need and move on.