SMART/LAB expands compatibility to include terminals from Hectronic and Scheidt & Bachmann

The interface, based on the open OCPI protocol, allows operators within the ladenetz.de and ladebusiness networks to freely choose between terminals from Scheidt & Bachmann, Hectronic, or Smartlab’s own solution. Existing payment terminals from both manufacturers can also be easily integrated.

“Our partners want to remain flexible – whether for new projects or when connecting existing infrastructure. With the new interface, we meet this ongoing demand while providing a stable and secure solution for integrating third-party terminals,” says Ivo Althaus, Product Manager at Smartlab.

Demand for simple and ad hoc payment options, especially credit card payments directly at the charging station, continues to grow. This payment method significantly enhances convenience, particularly for occasional users who want to charge without an app or contract. Charging transactions are billed directly via the respective payment service providers of Scheidt & Bachmann or Hectronic, while Smartlab ensures seamless integration with its backend system.

Project with Stadtwerke Düsseldorf

The joint solution from Smartlab and Scheidt & Bachmann is already installed at the Carlsplatz car park in Düsseldorf, where the SIQMA PowerPay payment kiosk is connected via Smartlab to 34 AC charging stations. The key advantage: retrofitting AC charging stations with a payment terminal is neither economically nor technically feasible. SIQMA PowerPay is therefore the optimal choice to upgrade the 68 charging points on the roof of the Carlsplatz car park (in compliance with calibration law/Eichrecht) cost-effectively and efficiently, allowing customers to pay for their charging using credit or debit cards as well as mobile payment.

A central goal of this collaboration is to optimise the customer experience. Electric vehicle drivers benefit from secure and fast card payment options, paperless receipt archiving via e-receipts, and an overall improved user experience. The combination of Scheidt & Bachmann’s decades of expertise in payment and outdoor hardware with Smartlab’s advanced technologies creates a solution precisely tailored to users’ needs.

“This partnership impressively demonstrates our credo: ‘Expertise multiplies when shared,’” explains Jörg M. Heilingbrunner, Managing Director at Scheidt & Bachmann. “By combining our expertise and resources, we develop innovative solutions that drive the entire market forward. This synergistic collaboration enables us to actively tackle the challenges of e-mobility while setting new standards for quality and user-friendliness.”

Project with Albwerke – Merklingen Station

Since October 2023, the joint solution from Smartlab and Hectronic has been in use at one of the world’s largest charging parks. Hectronic’s HecPay payment terminals are connected via Smartlab to 250 charging points at the Park-and-Ride site. This enables payments compliant with calibration law/Eichrecht using giro, debit, and credit cards, as well as mobile open payments via Apple Pay and Google Wallet. The hardware integrates seamlessly into the charging infrastructure, offers open interfaces to the Smartlab backend, and meets all requirements of the charging station ordinance.

A key objective was to implement complex requirements such as calibration law/Eichrecht compliant billing, ad hoc payment, roaming, and PIN pad verification within a record construction period of 20 months. The result is a reliable, user-friendly, and legally compliant charging infrastructure that strengthens the acceptance of e-mobility.

Sven Stottmeier, Director of E-Mobility at Hectronic, aptly describes the project: “The mobility transition can only succeed if there is a reliable charging infrastructure. Transparency in electricity measurement and billing builds consumer trust, and the ease of use of individual charging points promotes acceptance. In Merklingen, we have succeeded in implementing exactly that with a modern charging setup.”