E-mobility - charging a vehicle at a charging station
In this book, you will learn details about charging at charging stations that are connected to the Eponet backend. 

Welcome to an Eponet charging station

Introduction to charging a vehicle at an Eponet charging station
Welcome to Eponet 

 Eponet is a Swiss cloud service provider offering billing solutions for charging stations, among other things. Eponet is not the operator of this infrastructure, but rather the billing service provider. In the event of technical malfunctions, please always contact the operator or electrician who installed the system first. 

 Eponet offers charging in all possible configurations: charging via QR code (simple, fast and without an app), charging via an RFID card (cost-effective with your credit balance) or charging via roaming with the RFID card of your trusted provider. 

 The operator of the infrastructure decides which versions are activated at this charging station. They are also responsible for the prices and fees for a charging process. Eponet is not responsible for pricing. 

 In this chapter, you will learn more about the different charging options. 

   

  

Charging with QR code / Ad Hoc charging
If you see an Eponet QR code at a charging station, you can use it to start charging easily with your smartphone, without an app or registration.  

 Example: QR code charging / ad hoc charging 

 If you see an Eponet QR code at a charging station (identifiable by the charger ID number), you can scan it with your smartphone and start charging via your browser: 

 

 A window will open in your browser and you will be guided through the process in three steps: 

 Step 1 

 In the first step, you will see in the top right-hand corner whether the charging station is available (status message of the charging station). The blue information field shows the name of the charging station and the current prices. Under Price Information, you can view further price details, and any information about the charger/location can be found under Charger Information. If a charging station has multiple connections, you can select the correct one in the field below. In this image, there is only one AC Type 2 connection. Connect the vehicle and click on Start Charging, and you will be taken to step 2. 

 

 

 Step 2 

 Here you will be asked to enter your email address for the receipt. Once charging is complete, you will receive the receipt at this address and an email with charging details when charging starts. There is also a link there where you can cancel a charging process at any time. 

 

 

 

 Step 3 

 The third and final step is the payment process. You can choose between credit card, Reka and TWINT and, depending on your smartphone, the payment method stored on your smartphone. Apple Pay is available for iPhones and Google Pay for Android phones.  

 Once the payment has been accepted, the charging process will start automatically. 

 

 

 

 

 Charging process completed 

 Once the charging process is complete – when you unplug the vehicle – you will receive an email receipt for the charging process. 

 

 Please note: Eponet is not responsible for the prices of the charging process. The prices, including any blocking, standing or parking fees, are set by the operator. Eponet is only the billing tool. In the event of malfunctions, the operator/owner of the charging station is also responsible. Thank you for your understanding. 

 

 Do you regularly charge your vehicle at a QR code charging station? Make charging easier with your own Eponet account 

 Do you regularly charge at an Eponet charging station with a QR code and don't want to go through the 3 steps to charge? Open your own Eponet account (free of charge), order an Eponet RFID card and top up your balance. This allows you to easily charge your vehicle at any public Eponet charging station with a QR code using your RFID card and automatically receive a receipt in your account for each charging process.  

 The following steps for creating your own account with an RFID card and topping up your balance can be found here: 1. Create an account 

 2. Order an Eponet RFID card 

 3. Top up your balance 

 4. Please note: observe the minimum balance! 

 

 Quick guide: Charging with a QR code 

 Use this compact guide for spontaneous top-ups at Eponet stations. The one-page document guides you through the entire top-up process in four simple steps – from scanning the QR code to payment. 

 

 [Download PDF] | Suitable for: Display at top-up stations, customer information 

 Custom design service 

 Would you like to support your customers with personalised charging instructions? We can create these instructions for you with your logo, your colours and specific information about your location. Perfect for professional customer support at your charging stations. Your advantages: 

 

 Instructions in your individual corporate design 

 Integration of your logo and contact details 

 Location-specific information (opening hours, support number) 

 Professional appearance for your customers 

 Ready to print or download as a QR code 

 

 Contact: beratung@eponet.ch – We are happy to assist you with your individual customer service. Cost: one-time fee of CHF 50.00 

 Example:

Charging with RFID card
As a rule, charging at a charging station is started with an RFID card (except for public charging via Eponet QR code or Hubject roaming). The RFID card must be authorised for this purpose. Eponet distinguishes between free charging and paid charging with a charging profile. 

 Eponet RFID card 

 

 

 The Eponet RFID card is always registered in an Eponet account. Either in the same account where the charging stations are managed (e.g. for a company) or in a user account. You can find more information on this on the RFID card management page . 

 In the first case – if the RFID card(s) is/are on the same account as the charging stations – this is referred to as free charging. A charging profile (price profile) can be stored for evaluation purposes, but no money is transferred. The account also grants authorisations specifying which RFID card is allowed to charge at which charging station. 

 In the second case – if the RFID card(s) is/are stored on a user account – you will be invited by the charging infrastructure operator to one or more charging stations. Here, you can be invited without a charging profile (free charging) or with a charging profile (paid charging) . Depending on how you were invited, you must accept the invitation and share or release your RFID card(s).  

 Please note For charging subject to a fee, the minimum balance is CHF 50. As soon as your balance falls below CHF 50 – for example, CHF 49.80 – you will no longer be able to start a charging process. So make sure you top up your balance in good time. 

 Further information on the minimum balance and how to top up your account can be found in the Finance section . 

   

 Tip: If you see a public charging station with an Eponet QR code while on the go, you can charge your credit using your Eponet RFID card instead of the QR code procedure. When you hold up your Eponet RFID card, the Eponet backend checks whether you are invited – if not, and the charging station is publicly approved for QR codes, you can charge using your credit at the QR code price (provided your balance is high enough). You will receive your charging receipt in your account as usual.

Charging cable cannot be removed
Eponet is not the operator of this infrastructure – it is the billing service provider. In the event of technical faults, please always contact the operator or electrician who installed the system first. 

 Eponet is neither the operator, seller nor installation partner that can provide support for the charging stations. This means that we cannot help with technical problems such as a cable that cannot be removed. 

 We cannot help because every manufacturer has different characteristics and tips for dealing with problems. However, the following always applies if a cable cannot be unplugged: try to unlock the plug in the vehicle. Many vehicles have a button for this purpose to release the cable from the vehicle. If the cable is unlocked on the vehicle and can be unplugged, it can often also be unplugged at the charging station. If this does not help, try locking and unlocking the vehicle. Unfortunately, this is not the same for every vehicle.  

 Many charging station manufacturers have their own troubleshooting guides. If we find out about them, we will be happy to provide you with the link here without obligation. 

   

 Easee charging stations – cable cannot be removed: 

 Link to Easee help if the cable cannot be removed