Payment Solutions & EV Chargers: ONEPOLE Meets All Requirements

Starting from July 1st, all new EV charging stations must be equipped to accept card payments. ONEPOLE meets these requirements. Not only that, but payment terminals can also be installed on all existing ONEPOLE pedestals.

The reason is that the ONEPOLE has been developed with the idea of being a universal pedestal adaptable to various needs. ONEPOLE is designed to meet current and future requirements, making it easy for operators to attach the payment solution using customized brackets and meet the new regulations.

Welcoming the Requirement

The Norwegian EV Association (NEVA) describes the government's introduction of this requirement as a significant victory for all electric vehicle drivers. Christina Bu, Secretary-General of the NEVA, believes that the requirement makes life easier for electric vehicle drivers and lowers the threshold for choosing an electric vehicle. NEVA has long advocated that paying for EV charging should be as simple as paying for anything else.

The stakeholders behind ONEPOLE also welcome this requirement. It adds value for end-users and aligns with ONEPOLE's goal of creating user-friendly, flexible, and secure solutions. Kristoffer Repstad, Head of e-Mobility at ONEPOLE, states that they will meet these requirements in collaboration with charge point operators (CPO).

Meeting Electrical Requirements

The core of the ONEPOLE system is the pedestal itself, which is flexible in height and design. Moreover, it can come with supplementary accessories, including foundations, bracket holders, roofs, and more. It is not difficult for a mechanical workshop to produce a pedestal. However, when you connect a charging box, a payment terminal, or both, the pedestal must meet a range of electrical requirements. ONEPOLE does this. While the pedestal is crafted in a mechanical workshop, its roots trace back to the design and production of lighting fixtures and bollards.

- We started by selling electronic products. Therefore, we know how to meet all the requirements related to electricity. Subsequently, we acquired a mechanical workshop to also produce and deliver safe and flexible products, such as bollards and pedestals. Ensuring compliance with the electrical requirements is demanding, but that is the part of the industry we come from. From an economic perspective, our products are competitively priced in the market. In the technical field, we are in the upper division. It is also crucial that the documentation is in order, and we have met all the requirements in that regard, explains Repstad.

Super Flexible

Now that all new fast chargers are required to accept card payments, this will work through the familiar payment terminals found on vending machines and elsewhere. It is also a well-known challenge that the uptime for these micro-payments can be somewhat unpredictable. Many have experienced not being able to make a payment when trying to buy a bottle of soda from a vending machine.

- For all good reasons, we are positive that the existing payment solutions with apps and cards can still be used. Flexibility is an advantage for everyone, says Repstad.

One of the advantages of ONEPOLE is that it has an almost universal attachment, allowing most things to be connected. For operators, this is a strength both now with the introduction of new requirements, in the past, and in the future. If operators have outdated technology or equipment that no longer works, they can connect new charging solutions to the existing ONEPOLE pedestals. Therefore, operators who have used ONEPOLE before the requirements were introduced are also prepared in case it goes as the Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association wishes, that there will also be requirements to install payment terminals on existing chargers. 

Products in Stock

The introduction of this requirement was announced in the government's national charging strategy presented in December 2022. However, the requirement for card payment at all new charging stations from June 1st took many by surprise when it was announced at the end of June.

- How are you handling the new requirement?
- We already have the products in stock, ready to be shipped, emphasizes Kristoffer Repstad, Head of e-Mobility at Q-Light.