One push of a button starts parking and charging

According to the Finnish Transport Agency, a car is parked for up to 95% of its lifetime – most often at home or in the yard of a workplace. This makes charging while parked a natural solution for electric car drivers. Surveys and the popularity of implementation options show that slow charging is the preferred option for many motorists.

When a car is parked in a paid area, a parking fee is also included. In recent years, mobile payment apps have become more common for paying for parking, but electric car drivers have often had to use two separate payment methods: one for parking and one for charging. This has sparked debate, as the process is not user-friendly.

At the Hervanta campus of the University of Tampere, the issue has been resolved with the push of a button. The user reads the QR code of the charging point, which contains the necessary information to start charging and parking. If the driver only needs parking, he can pay for it directly in the app by selecting the area on the map. Electric car drivers, on the other hand, can start charging with the same app and in the same payment transaction.

At the Hervanta campus, parking and charging can be started with the push of a button.

There is much more going on in the background than the user can see. When parking is started, the application activates the license plate number entered by the user, which allows the parking attendant to see that the payment is valid. At the same time, the system receives information about the selected charging point and starts it. The charging point measures the consumption of the plug in use and sends real-time kilowatt-hour data to the application. The user can easily monitor their consumption and the duration of parking and charging from one view.

When charging and parking are finished – either by unplugging the cable or by ending the transaction via the app – the system calculates the charge based on the final consumption and parking time. The user receives a receipt and the property owner receives the transaction details on their reporting page. Parking and electricity charges can be paid to one or more parties, depending on the property.

All signs point to electric cars becoming the choice of more and more drivers and car manufacturers. Our mission is to ensure that electric driving is not only sustainable but also a hassle-free part of everyday life. Digital solutions, such as combined parking and charging services, are a step towards smoother and greener mobility.