New regulations have come into effect which mean that all new public chargepoints of 8kW and above and existing chargepoints of 50kW and above must offer EV drivers contactless payment.
The Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 aim to ensure that consumers using public chargepoints across the UK get a ‘consistent and positive’ experience. The government says this will support the transition to EVs and help the UK to reach its climate targets.
The contactless payment may accept payment such as Apple and Google Pay but must also accept contactless bank cards. Public chargepoints can also offer contactless alongside additional payment methods, such as an app or QR code.
The Regulations came into effect last year and chargepoint operators had until November 24, 2024, to comply.
The Regulations also state that rapid chargepoints must be 99% reliable, measured as an average across each chargepoint operator’s rapid network over the calendar year.
Reliability will be measured as an average (mean) across a chargepoint operator’s rapid network of public chargepoints of 50kW and above over the calendar year.
An operator will not be penalised if their reliability is below 99% for a given month, as long as they make this up over the rest of the 12-month period, so that their reliability remains at 99% or above for the whole year.
Information on reliability compliance must be published on the chargepoint operator’s website. Chargepoint operators must also submit an annual reliability report to the Secretary of State and the enforcement authority.
There also needs to be a free-to-use 24/7 staffed telephone helpline available and advertised at all chargepoints.
The contact details for the helpline must be displayed prominently on or at the charging site for all the public chargepoints they are responsible for.
The helpline must be free to use. Numbers that charge local call rates will not fulfil this requirement.
The helpline must offer consumers real-time assistance. If a chargepoint operator offers voicemail, this will not fulfil the requirement.
