NORWAY. 14 months since the demand for card payment came: Tesla ignores the order

HOORAY? Tesla recently opened a new charging park at Vøringsfossen and celebrated fast charger number 2000 with a distinctive design on the anniversary. These V4 chargers are designed for card terminals, but that doesn't help much when no card terminals are activated. Photo: Jamieson Pothecary/elbil.no

Just over a year after the charging companies were ordered to offer card payment on new chargers, the terminals are conspicuous by their absence at several companies. And no one will say when you will be able to use your card on a Tesla charger.

02.09.2024 13:34 | Oppdatert 03.09.2024 07:14

On 1 July last year, the Ministry of Transport and Communications introduced a new regulation that means that charging companies are obliged to offer card payment when they build new fast chargers.

It was long-awaited for many. As many as 87 percent of Norwegian electric car drivers believe that you should be able to pay by card when fast charging.

ELECTRIC CAR DRIVERS WILL HAVE THE OPTION OF PAYING BY CARD: This is shown by the large survey “Elbilisten 2024”, which had over 15,000 respondents.

On 25 percent of fast chargers, you can pay by card

Teknisk Ukeblad recently published an overview (the article requires a subscription) of how many card terminals have actually been installed, just over a year after the order was issued.

The review shows that there is little reason to trust that electric car drivers can get around the country with only their bank card, to say the least.

There are also big differences between the companies.

Part of the explanation may be that some companies have made use of the possibility of exemptions provided for in the regulations.

The fast charging companies were allowed to set up “old” chargers without the possibility of card payment, if they had already been ordered before the regulations came.

Overall, about 25 percent of fast chargers in Norway now have the option of payment via so-called “tapping” with a payment card, mobile phone or smartwatch.

Large differences between the companies

The companies Uno X and Ragde have the option of card payment on absolutely all their fast chargers. With the same companies, you also have several other payment options, including the Electric Vehicle Association's charging chip:

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The charging companies Eviny and Tesla, on the other hand, have not started card payment at all.

25 PERCENT OF FAST CHARGERS HAVE A CARD TERMINAL: This is shown by the survey conducted by Teknisk Ukeblad.

Circle K has terminals on well over half of its chargers. Ionity has not answered the questions from Teknisk Ukeblad.

Eviny apologizes, Tesla is silent

The head of the fast charging company Eviny, Odd Olaf Askeland, says to Teknisk Ukeblad that he thinks it was a shame that they did not get the first payment terminals up before the summer holidays.

“But we must be 110 percent confident that the payment works, that customers will be refunded if something happens, and we must take into account all events that do not go according to the book.

What is happening at Tesla, on the other hand, is not easy to know.

Tesla has installed its new V4 chargers in several places in Norway over the past year. And even though there is room for card chargers in a fixed place on these chargers, there are so far no card terminals to be seen.

We have sent an inquiry to Tesla about why the card terminals are not in place on new chargers. Tesla responds that “they have no information to share on this matter.”

blue charging chip is tapped onto a fast charger.

ALSO EASY: The Electric Vehicle Association's charging chip is still the easiest way to charge in many places.

“Our patience is at an end”

The Electric Vehicle Association has been a driving force for the requirement for card payment for fast charging. There are few issues that the Electric Car Association's member service receives as many inquiries about, such as payment for charging.

“It is remarkable how big a difference there is in how the charging companies follow up on the requirement. I want to praise the companies that took the challenge head on and got started. Now the latecomers must follow suit, says Secretary General Christina Bu of the Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association.

She says that the Electric Car Association is now following developments closely.

“Our patience is at an end. I expect that electric car drivers will be able to find the first fast chargers at Tesla and Eviny that offer card payment as early as the autumn holidays,” says Bu