Charge cards can be categorized based on their type, such as RFID or Virtual Token, or by their usage, such as Customer Card or Admin Card.
In EVC-net, we also classify cards based on whether they are:
Charge Card IDs
Charge cards have two types of IDs:
External Card ID – This is the number printed on the card itself (e.g., NL-LMS-0123456-X).
Internal Card ID – This is the number programmed within the card itself, serving to identify the card at charging stations.
Charge Card Provisioning
In most cases, charge cards are provided by LMS to the provider to ensure accurate registration into evc-net.com. Subsequently, the provider can distribute them to end-users, either in an active or inactive state.
Charge Card Functionalities in EVC-net
When you access a particular charge card within EVC-net, you gain access to various functionalities and information related to that card:
Active
The card’s current status is displayed, which can be categorized as ‘Active,’ ‘Inactive,’ or ‘Deactivated.’ You have the option to activate or deactivate the card by simply clicking the ‘Activate’ or ‘Deactivate’ button.
Subscription
Within EVC-net, there are two subscription options available to enhance the service:
Monthly Recurring Fee (e.g., Subscription): This option involves a regular, periodic charge, on a monthly basis.
One-Time Fee (e.g., Activation Costs): This is a single, upfront charge.
Wallet
The EVC-net platform offers a convenient feature known as the wallet, which allows users to add charging credit to their card. When activated, the customer’s account can only be used for charging with this charging credit, and it must be topped up when the balance is depleted.
Here’s how the wallet feature works:
- Exclusive Charging Credit: Once the Wallet feature is enabled, the associated charge card can only be used with the charging credit deposited into the wallet. Other payment methods are not accepted.
- Roaming Disabled: Once the Wallet feature is enabled, the roaming must be disabled. Roaming refers to using charging points on third-party networks. This is because real-time monitoring is unavailable for transactions on external networks, making it impossible to halt a transaction when the wallet runs out of credit.
Example:
Suppose €10 is loaded into the wallet. In that case, charging is possible until the balance reaches €10. Once the wallet is empty, new funds must be added before further charging can occur. Notably, the money in the wallet does not expire.
Topping up the Wallet
The wallet can be topped up in two ways:
- System Administrator: An administrator can add funds to a wallet via the back-office. The amount added will be included in the provider’s invoice after the first transaction using the wallet is completed.
- End-User: End-users can independently top up their wallet using the white-label Laadpaal smartphone application. This can be done through the menu item ‘Activate or top up your card.’
Customer
Within EVC-net, charge cards can be associated with different customer roles, allowing for distinct responsibilities and billing arrangements. There are three primary customer roles that can be attached to a charge card:
- Card Holder: This refers to the customer account that physically possesses the charge card. The card holder is the individual or entity that uses the card for charging.
- Payer Subscription: The customer account designated as the payer for the charge card subscription. This role is responsible for receiving and settling invoices related to the charge card’s subscription fee.
- Payer Charge Transactions: The customer account responsible for receiving and settling invoices related to the charging transactions made using the charge card.
Card Data
In the “Card Data” subsection, you can access and modify all the properties and settings associated with a charge card as needed.
Roaming
One of the most important settings of a charge card is ‘Use for roaming’. When this box is checked, the charge card will be activated for roaming. This means that the charge card will be available to use on charging stations of other charge point operators (CPOs). When the card is used for roaming, the costs for a transaction will be invoiced to the customer.