Charging Station Ordinance: Will You Soon Pay for EV Charging with a Credit Card?

For many electric vehicle (EV) drivers, the public charging experience is a tangled web of charging cards, mobile apps, and confusing contracts. Finding an available charger is just the first step; figuring out how to pay for it can be a frustrating puzzle. But a new, comprehensive regulation is set to change all that, making paying for electricity as simple as paying for gas at a conventional station. We'll break down the latest updates and explain how they will affect your next road trip.

Understanding the New Regulations: AFIR and the German Charging Station Ordinance

The confusion around EV payment methods is a problem that has been addressed by regulations at both a national and European level. While Germany's "Charging Station Ordinance" has long set technical standards for the country's charging network, its most recent updates are a direct result of a landmark EU-wide law: the **Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR)**.

Unlike a directive, which requires individual countries to pass their own laws, AFIR is a regulation that is **directly applicable** across all European Union member states. It went into effect on **April 13, 2024**, and its provisions are now the key drivers for new payment standards at charging stations across the continent.

The Core Changes Under AFIR: What You Need to Know

The central goal of AFIR is to make public EV charging more user-friendly by standardizing payment methods. The days of needing dozens of different cards or apps are numbered, though the transition will take some time. Here's a breakdown of what the new law mandates:

For All New Fast-Charging Stations (>50 kW): As of **April 13, 2024**, all new public charging stations with a power output of 50 kW or more must be equipped with a physical payment terminal. This terminal must support contactless payment via a standard debit or credit card. This also includes popular mobile payment methods like Apple Pay and Google Pay, which use the same Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.
For existing Fast-Charging Stations: This is a crucial new point. While the initial German ordinance did not require retrofitting, AFIR does. All existing public fast-charging stations (over 50 kW) that are located along the main Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) must be retrofitted with a card payment terminal by **January 1, 2027**. This ensures that even older, high-use chargers will eventually offer simple ad-hoc payment options.
For New Normal-Charging Stations (<50 kw="" strong=""> The rules are slightly different for new public AC chargers. Operators must still offer an "ad-hoc" payment method without a subscription, but a physical card terminal is not mandatory. Instead, a web-based solution is sufficient, typically a dynamic QR code on the charger's screen that takes the user to a secure payment page.

Will All Charging Stations Soon Accept Credit Cards?

The short answer is **no, not right away**. The regulations primarily target new installations, and the retrofitting obligation for older stations is limited to the high-traffic TEN-T corridors. This means that for a while, you will encounter a mix of charging stations: some with a card terminal, and many others that still require a specific app or charging card. For this reason, it is still advisable for EV drivers to have a reliable charging app or card for the time being, especially when traveling off the main European highways.

The Big Win for EV Owners

While the transition won't happen overnight, the new regulations are a major step forward for the EV ecosystem. The benefits are clear:

Simplicity and Convenience: Paying with a credit card or your phone is a familiar and intuitive process that requires no pre-registration, no special apps, and no long-term contracts.
Reduced "Range Anxiety": Knowing that you can simply plug in and pay at any fast charger, regardless of the operator, provides a huge boost in confidence for long-distance travel.
Accessibility for Visitors: Tourists or business travelers from other countries will no longer need to navigate a complex web of different charging networks. A standard credit card will be enough to get them on their way.
Price Transparency: The new rules also mandate that charging operators must display their prices clearly and transparently on the charging station before a session begins, eliminating any nasty surprises.

Conclusion: A More User-Friendly Future

The days of having to be a professional EV driver to navigate the public charging network are coming to an end. By mandating a standardized, contactless payment method, the AFIR regulation is removing one of the biggest hurdles to mass EV adoption. While drivers must still be prepared for a fragmented charging landscape for the next few years, the direction of travel is clear. The future of EV charging is seamless, transparent, and user-friendly, and it's being built one charging station at a time.