By the end of 2025, all fast chargers in Norway will be required to offer card payment options.
Ragde Charge, the charging division of Ragde Eiendom, now announces that they are on track to install card terminals at all their fast chargers.
Ragde Charge was founded in 2021 and primarily develops public chargers at properties owned by the parent company.
Their stated goal was to make charging intuitive and easy, and from the start, they made it possible to later incorporate a card terminal. Now, in 2024, it has finally arrived.
“We tested the first card payment system at the end of last summer, and it works very well,” says Christoffer Pihl, CEO of Ragde Charge.
Before card terminals were available, payments could be made through Vipps, charging chips, or roaming-based apps like Ladeklubben.
“We’ve seen that the proportion of customers using card payment quickly accounted for 30 per cent of all transactions, without us doing any marketing. So there was no doubt that it was a welcome addition,” highlights Pihl.
And he continues: “People think it’s good to eliminate all the apps. It was a position we took from the start: not becoming just another app, but offering the payment solution that customers want.”
Card payment eliminates an intermediary in the payment process and reduces the possibility of errors in many ways.
Despite the positive experiences so far, there have also been comments on areas for improvement.
“You face some challenges as the RFID scanner and the payment chip scanner can look a bit alike. Therefore, some customers don’t know when they should start charging,” says the CEO.
“To avoid situations like this, we continuously work to improve information, clarity, and the customer journey,” he adds.
More projects from Ragde Charge
Now that card payment is secured, Ragde Charge has other goals in mind.
“Perhaps the most interesting is the pilot project we’re working on in Moss. There we have a large commercial space where we’ve established a charging plaza with a strong focus on reuse and sustainability,” highlights Pihl.
At this location, there’s a solar cell system providing electricity, in addition to batteries from old Nissan Leafs contributing as energy storage.
“Batteries from electric cars can still have good capacity once they’re retired from the automotive industry and can be useful for other purposes. The batteries are thoroughly tested and maintained before they continue to live for many years in this facility,” he states.
Smart control systems optimize the energy flow to ensure the best possible utilization of solar energy, the highest possible charging effect, the least possible impact on the electrical grid, and the lowest possible electricity costs.
“Then, of course, we’re working with charging concepts like Plug & Charge and Autocharge. We also hope to have tested and implemented during the year,” says Pihl.
And he continues: “This is the most flexible charging solution you can have. Park next to a Ragde Charge charger, plug in the cable, charge up, and once the session is complete, continue driving.”
Before the summer, the company will open two new locations: A charging plaza at Strømsø Senter in Drammen and another at Trekanten Senter in Bodø.
The charger in Bodø will be their northernmost charger.
