PRESS RELEASE: Energie Südbayern, Mastercard and SMART/LAB facilitate payment at electric charging stations and launch pilot project

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Partnership for more charging convenience:

Energie Südbayern, Mastercard and SMART/LAB facilitate payment at electric charging stations and launch pilot project

Aachen / Frankfurt am Main / Munich, 31 July 2024 - Energie Südbayern (ESB), Mastercard and SMART/LAB today announced a partnership to make payment at electric charging stations more convenient. The aim of the collaboration is to offer another convenient and uncomplicated contactless payment option using debit, credit or prepaid cards.

As part of this cooperation, SMART/LAB is integrating an innovative payment terminal product into the existing backend architecture of the charging systems. The solution makes it possible to process charging processes directly, easily and securely using all common cashless payment and authorisation methods without having to enter into a contract. The product meets the requirements of the AFIR (Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation), which stipulates that all publicly accessible charging points in the European Union with a charging capacity of at least 50 kW installed from 13 April 2024 must offer this form of payment option.

First nationwide pilot project starts in Sulzemoos

ESB is playing a key role in this partnership by making its advanced charging infrastructure available for the joint pilot project at the commuter car park next to the Sulzemoos exit of the A8 motorway. With this new test environment, which has now been officially opened, ESB is enabling the practical evaluation of SMART/LAB's innovative payment terminal. "The project in Sulzemoos can become a blueprint for many other charging park locations in southern Bavaria. Secure and, above all, convenient payment is an essential prerequisite for accelerating the sustainable mobility transition," says Marcus Böske, CEO of Energie Südbayern. As an experienced player in the field of electromobility with around 1,000 charging points in southern Bavaria, ESB is helping to improve the electromobility infrastructure and develop innovative solutions that further optimise the charging experience for electric vehicle users.

"Electromobility can only prevail if a nationwide supply of charging facilities is guaranteed that is geared towards the needs of e-car drivers. Uniform standards and secure, open payment systems are important in order to promote acceptance among consumers and strengthen sustainable e-mobility," explains Dr Peter Robejsek, Managing Director at Mastercard Germany.

Currently, payment when travelling with electric vehicles is essentially contract-based, i.e. using so-called charging cards, and there is no access to a standardised and open payment infrastructure. "The introduction of the SMART/LAB payment terminal offers users more options for paying for the charging process. We expressly welcome this, as it simplifies access for a broader user base," says Dr Mark Walcher from SMART/LAB.

As the initiator of this pilot project, Mastercard is contributing its extensive expertise in the field of digital payment solutions to drive innovation and promote the seamless integration of payment services into electromobility. The pilot project is the result of a cooperation with Thüga Aktiengesellschaft, which is pursuing the goal of digitalising cities and developing them sustainably. SMART/LAB and ESB joined as implementers.

Through its collaboration with the ESB and SMART/LAB, Mastercard is placing a clear focus on creating an improved user experience for drivers of electric vehicles. The technology company sees this partnership as an opportunity to advance electromobility through expanded payment options and thus contribute to the development of a sustainable and efficient mobility landscape. Other companies in the Thüga Group are also planning to roll out the solution in the coming months.

About ESB
www.esb.de

For more than 60 years, Energie Südbayern has been the fair, secure and personal energy supplier and service provider for the region. Together with its subsidiaries Energienetze Bayern and ESB Wärme, Energie Südbayern forms the ESB Group. Energy supply, portfolio management, the operation of energy networks and energy generation are our core business areas. Around 160,000 households, 15,000 business customers and numerous municipal utilities and redistributors place their trust in our products and services. The ESB Group stands for efficient service, flexible energy products and in-depth market knowledge of gas, green electricity and heat. The company is also highly committed to projects in the field of e-mobility (development and expansion of charging infrastructure and car sharing) and sustainable electricity generation using photovoltaic and hydropower plants. Together with our subsidiaries and municipal affiliates, we develop innovative solutions for energy supply and generation and, as an experienced partner, take responsibility for the region. 

Contact us
Julia Leopold | E: Julia.Leopold@esb.de

About Mastercard
www.mastercard.de

Mastercard is a global payments technology company. Our goal is to drive an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone and enables secure, simple and smart payments anytime, anywhere. With secure data and networks, strong partnerships and passion, our innovative products and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realise their full potential - in more than 210 countries and territories.

Contact us
Juliane Schmitz-Engels | E: Juliane.Schmitz-Engels@mastercard.com

About SMART/LAB
www.smarlab-gmbh.com

SMART/LAB Innovationsgesellschaft mbH is a company of energie schwaben, Stadtwerke Osnabrück, STAWAG, BEB GmbH and Thüga. Together, we develop innovative concepts in the fields of smart grids and e-mobility. With currently over 24,000 publicly accessible charging points, SMART/LAB has been the market leader in the field of public charging for many years now. As an IT service provider, we offer comprehensive products for the operation and billing of charging infrastructure as well as the billing of its end users. SMART/LAB has been one of the most important players in e-mobility throughout Europe since the early 2000s. The focus is always on the networking of charging infrastructure. SMART/LAB attaches particular importance to the user-friendliness of its mobility concepts.

Contact us
Ann Sarlette | E: presse@smartlab-gmbh.de

 

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