Why EV charging feels broken, and how Cariqa can fix it

Drivers face confusion. CPOs face hidden costs. Cariqa fixes both.

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EV charging is expanding fast, but the infrastructure powering it is becoming more complex.

Drivers face too many apps and confusing prices, while Charge Point Operators (CPOs) battle hidden costs, reseller markups, and low utilisation. 

Cariqa changes this by connecting CPOs and drivers directly - putting operators back in charge of their pricing, payouts, and commercial strategy, whilst giving drivers the simple, transparent experience they expect.

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Why is EV charging booming, but the experience is broken?

Across Europe, public EV charging is expanding faster than ever. However, there’s a significant gap between infrastructure growth and user satisfaction.

The European Commission forecasts 3.5 million public chargers by 2030, requiring billions in new infrastructure investment. Reaching that goal means installing around 410,000 new chargers each year - nearly 8,000 every week - almost triple the pace seen in 2023.

But whilst installation demands increase, satisfaction is on the decline.

• 80% of potential EV buyers call public charging “inadequate”
• 70% of current EV owners say they’re dissatisfied with current infrastructure
• 46% report frustration with charging apps that fail to deliver a reliable experience 

Why? Because both drivers and operators are dealing with the same underlying issue: fragmentation.

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Why are EV drivers frustrated with public charging?

Europe’s charging network has evolved without standardisation, and drivers are paying the price.

EV drivers across Europe face daily frustration juggling multiple apps and RFID cards just to charge across different providers. A 2025 eMabler report identified hundreds of distinct EV-charging apps, often forcing users to guess which app works where, or to maintain numerous accounts. This stands in stark contrast to the seamless experience drivers expect.

Pricing confusion makes things worse:

• Over 50% of German EV drivers find current pricing at charging stations “insufficiently transparent”
• 96% want prices clearly displayed before plugging in

Drivers have embraced electrification, but the system designed to support them is still stuck in first gear.

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What hidden costs are CPOs facing behind the scenes?

While drivers face confusion, CPOs battle hidden operational costs that quietly undermine profitability. The real costs lie in inefficiency, reseller mark-ups, and low utilisation.

Fragmentation that bleeds time and money

Most operators run on a patchwork of hardware vendors, payment processors, and software platforms that don’t fully integrate. Each charging session can pass through multiple systems, from the charger manufacturer to the e-mobility service provider, to payment gateways and accounting tools, all producing separate records. These records must then be matched and validated manually by finance or operations teams, a process that slows cash flow, drives up admin costs, and increases the risk of missed or duplicated transactions.

Reseller mark-ups that erode revenue

Many CPOs don’t sell energy directly to drivers, they rely on resellers who add their own mark-ups on top of the CPO’s base price. This structure means drivers see inflated costs at the charger, while operators receive less per kWh than they set. It damages driver trust and makes it impossible for CPOs to maintain transparent, competitive pricing or build direct customer relationships.

Low utilisation draining profitability

The average public charging station in Germany is used just 8% of the time - an enormous drain on profitability. Chargers are high-cost assets that require significant investment to install and maintain, so having them sit idle drastically limits revenue potential.

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What’s the root problem?

Drivers want clarity. CPOs want control. But the industry gives them neither - trapped by fragmented systems and misaligned incentives.

Fragmentation creates a trust gap for drivers, and a profitability gap for operators.

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How does Cariqa solve these challenges?

Cariqa replaces the tangled stack of apps, billing systems, and compliance tools with one unified platform. It’s purpose-built for EV charging, bringing pricing, billing, and payments together in one place.

By connecting CPOs and drivers directly, Cariqa gives operators full control over their commercial strategy, and drivers the simple, seamless experience they’ve been waiting for.

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For CPOs - profit through precision

• One dashboard to manage billing, pricing, payments, and VAT in real time
• Smart Pricing dynamically adapts to demand, boosting utilisation and revenue
  
  • In work with one partner, dynamic pricing turned idle chargers into profitable assets, boosting transactions by 4.1x and revenue by 3.6x
• Built-in compliance automation handles VAT, invoicing, and cross-border reporting
• Fast payouts and easy reconciliation end cash-flow delays
• A direct feedback loop with drivers, helping CPOs understand behaviour, test pricing strategies, and build loyalty
• Unified data layer replaces manual admin with instant insight.

Cariqa transforms operational complexity into predictable, scalable profitability. CPOs are in full control of their pricing, commercial strategy, and customer relationships.

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For drivers - confidence through clarity

• Access multiple CPOs in one place, eliminating the need for countless apps and cards
• One clear price, set directly by the CPO and visible upfront at every charger
• No mark-ups, no surprises, whether paying by app, QR, or card
• Seamless sessions that work - no guessing, no friction, no fatigue

With Cariqa, drivers finally get the simplicity they’ve been promised - and operators get the tools to deliver it.

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What does the future of EV charging look like?

Europe’s charging ecosystem doesn’t need another app, it needs alignment.
Cariqa delivers exactly that: one infrastructure layer where simplicity meets scalability.

CPOs regain control and profitability, drivers regain trust, and the EV revolution finally gets the infrastructure and connectivity it so desperately needs.

Cariqa - connecting operators and drivers directly.

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