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[Question] Do charging stations generally accept credit/debit cards? (dubvee.org)
submitted 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) by to c/evs@lemmy.world
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Sorry if this is a dumb question. I currently drive a hybrid and am looking to upgrade in the next 1- 2 years to either PHEV or full EV. In either scenario, I envision most of my charging will be done at home. However, if I go full EV, I will eventually need to charge in public.

I've read it varies from charging network to charging network, so I figure I'd ask EV owners what their experiences are like. I really don't like the idea of relying on an app or monthly subscription or anything like that.

So, is a debit card more or less guaranteed to be accepted, and if so, are the rates significantly higher than some kind of membership option?

Edit: In the US if it matters.

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[–] 8 points 2 years ago (1 child)

Even within the US it varies massively from state to state and even city to city.

I'm in Southern Cal and have access to a ton of DC fast chargers, and the ones near me either accept credit card or app or little keychain RFID/QR token/fob/thing. However, almost none of the level 2 public chargers accept credit cards, either app only or fob thing. When I rented an EV in Florida, the only charger I could find that actually worked at all required an app to work.

In short, a debit card is definitely not guaranteed to be accepted unless you find one that still allows the keyfob/credit card-sized wallet card. You need to drive around to local chargers in your neighborhood to check them out.

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  • [–] [S] 6 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    In short, a debit card is definitely not guaranteed to be accepted unless you find one that still allows the keyfob/credit card-sized wallet card. You need to drive around to local chargers in your neighborhood to check them out.

    Thanks for the insight! That's kind of exactly what I was afraid of. Call me a dinosaur, but I have very few apps, and every one of them is a convenience and not a requirement in my day-to-day life. I do not see my stance on that changing, and do not want to depend on any app for any purpose, especially one as important as refueling my car.

    I think I'm going to end up getting a PHEV and kicking the can down the road, so to speak.

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  • [–] 7 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Fwiw, consider your exact needs and uses. I have yet to use a public level 2, and only a couple of DC fast chargers. It might be easy enough to locate a DCFC that accepts cards when the need arises, but you will lose the convenience and price of a level 2. But even in that case, the cost savings of a BEV overall probably more than cover it

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  • [–] [S] 5 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Yeah, my use case has changed considerably in the last 5 years, and trying to think ahead another 5 is giving me a headache.

    I used to drive 120 miles per day, minimum. Then I bought a house closer to work and would only drive 120 miles per month. A year after that, I was offered the option to work full time remote, so now I may drive 120 miles every 3 months. But I don't have any guarantee I won't be forced back into the office on a whim or have to relocate, so trying to imagine my situation 5 years from now is a bit challenging.

    That's why, after seeing some answers here and my aversion to relying on apps, I'm leaning toward a PHEV for my next upgrade and giving the charging networks more time to standardize and build out over the next half decade.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    With such low mileage, can I ask why you're looking to buy a new vehicle at all? That's low enough that it's actually significantly cheaper to just take Lyft everywhere. I understand wanting to have a car, but at that point it seems like an enormous waste of money to buy new.

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  • [–] [S] 6 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Not trying to start a /c/fuckcars thread here, lol, but...

    The low mileage I drive now is my current situation, but I can't guarantee it's going to stay that way. I also prefer to not have to wait on taxis, Uber, Lyft, car rentals, etc and "just go" at my convenience. I live in the suburbs, so everything is still out of walking range and would be a trek even on a bike. Plus, sometimes it's nice to just get in and go for a drive (I live in a crappy red state, but we have beautiful scenery haha).

    I'm looking to go full EV, eventually, so I can put solar panels on my garage to keep it topped off and cover my usual low-mileage day-to-day driving (supplemented with utility power when needed).

    Now I'm leaning toward a PHEV in the short run since my state taxes hybrids and EVs like crazy, and a PHEV would cover my day-to-day driving in EV mode while being in the same "tax" bracket as my current hybrid. A full EV would have a larger yearly fee.

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Don't misunderstand, I certainly understand the desire to have a car. What I'm asking is why you are looking to replace the one you have.

    BTW, in my shitty red state (Ohio), those fees are applied when you renew your registration. If you renew for 5 years (the max) right before purchase and then transfer that registration, you can avoid 5 years of those extra fees. May or may not help in your situation.

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  • [–] [S] 4 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Mostly because I've been wanting to go EV for a while now. This car has been and continues to be amazing, but when the time comes to replace it, I want to have my research done and have something in mind. Public charging experience was one of my outstanding research questions for EV ownership. I said 1-2 years in the post, but it's probably more like 2-3 years out if I'm being realistic (unless something catastrophic/unexpected happens to this car).

    That's how WV does it too, but I can only renew for 2 years at a time. I'll keep that in mind and see if something like it is possible. Good tip!

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I expect the landscape for EVs to change significantly in the next few years. With the announcement of NACS and numerous manufacturers getting onboard, that breaks down a barrier for many people. There's also a lot of growing pains that I expect to start being resolved.

    The big one is charger maintenance- right now, Tesla is the only one taking it seriously. The rest subcontract it out with mediocre (at best) results. With the rapid expansion of DC Fast Charging (every Walmart near me has or is getting a bank of Electricity America chargers, truck stops on several major interstates near me are getting them, etc).

    As for your concern about apps being required, I'm not sure. Tesla and its fans are the ones really, really pushing for required apps, plug to charge, etc. they call it "a seamless experience". But with other brands rising, I don't see the same mentality from people that own Bolts or Mustangs. Charging companies and whatnot would absolutely love to Hoover up your data if they can, so who knows...

    Another pain point is starting to be unraveled now, too. Fast Charging hasn't really been very fast because the batteries can't handle it. There are a few models, such as the Hyundai Ionic, that have 800v batteries that can fast charge at 350 kW. Combine that with DCFC expansion into truck stops, and it can easily fit into the usual breaks of a standard road trip.

    Anyway, all of that rambling aside, I would highly advise keeping an open mind and watching developments in this space. The answer today will probably not be the answer when it comes time to buy.

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  • [–] [S] 3 points 2 years ago*

    Oh, absolutely. Those are all pain points I've been noticing in my research, and we just haven't quite overcome them on a large enough scale. Yet. I'm also optimistic those are going to resolve in the next few years.

    Hopefully the Bolt/Mustang crowd win the wars. I'm not an "app" person and will probably never be lol. Taking an extra 8 seconds to run my debit card + PIN is not an insurmountable obstacle it seems to be for the Tesla crowd haha. The only integration I want between my phone and my car is Bluetooth audio and handsfree. For everything else, give me tactile, physical buttons and keep the touch screens and tech companies far away.

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