How to Easily Recharge Your Car at a Public Charging Station

Bank card, QR code, app or badge: there are several ways to pay for your recharge at a public charging station.

Far from reassuring, this multiple charging option can sometimes disturb new electric vehicle drivers. Roole, the leading automobile club in France with 1,400,000 members, provides a comprehensive overview to better understand the solutions available in 2025.

The adoption of electric vehicles is progressing: as of January 1, 2024, 2.2% of the 39.3 million cars on the road were 100% electric. To meet the growing demand, more than 160,000 public charging stations were available in France in March 2025. However, paying for charging outside the home remains a confusing issue for novice users, with a multitude of options tailored to different needs.

Direct payment by bank card Card payment is simple and universal: no subscription or badge is required. However, this option is not available at all stations. Since April 2024, new infrastructure stations over 50 kW must obligatorily offer a card payment terminal. For city charging stations, unfortunately, it’s more complicated.

Payment via QR code QR codes offer a convenient alternative, requiring a smartphone and an internet connection. However, this payment method necessitates vigilance against scams, especially with fake QR codes. Prefer QR codes displayed digitally on the station’s screen.

Recharge operator applications Operators such as Electra, Fastned, or Ionity offer apps that allow you to pay, reserve, and benefit from preferential rates via a subscription. For example, Electra’s offering at €4.99/month reduces the cost to €0.39/kWh. By June 2025, the Spark Alliance network will make these apps interoperable across Europe, a true revolution!

Multi-network badges Badges like Chargemap or Freshmile enable access to thousands of charging stations, often with additional benefits: deferred payment, recharge tracking, and promotions. Chargemap covers 144,500 charging points in France across 517 networks.

Auto-charge (Plug & Charge) Recent cars offer automatic solutions based on Plug & Charge technology, allowing charging and payment with a single gesture. Still limited, this feature is available on Tesla superchargers and is gradually expanding to other networks.

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