A revolution at charging stations in Israel: The change that will make things easier for drivers
A new collaboration will allow electric vehicle owners to pay directly at public charging stations without the need to download apps or register in advance, while maintaining customer club benefits.
A new collaboration between the Israeli fintech giant Nayax and the electric vehicle charging company ZEN ENERGY is set to transform the charging experience for electric vehicles in Israel. Nayax's payment solution will be integrated into hundreds of public and ultra-fast charging stations of ZEN ENERGY, with the goal of making the payment process simpler and faster.
The solution allows drivers to start charging by tapping a credit card, mobile phone, or smartwatch directly at the charging station. This eliminates the need to download a dedicated app, open an account, or perform advance registration. The experience is designed to simulate the process familiar from gas stations, where one can arrive, pay, and start using the service without a complex registration process.
The solution has already been implemented at dozens of stations, with an expansion to hundreds more expected across the country in the coming months. The focus will be on Delek Israel gas stations and central routes managed by Netivei Israel.
Alongside the convenience for drivers, the move addresses a significant business challenge for operators. Direct payment via credit card can typically make it difficult to identify customers and provide loyalty benefits. Nayax's development allows for combining fast payment with the identification of customers registered to the Joe Delek club.
«The integration of credit card readers allows us to provide drivers with the direct payment experience they expect, while maintaining the ability for operators to identify their customers and manage benefits for them,» emphasize Eran Bar, Director of Operations for Nayax in Israel, and Shahar Raviner, Business Development Manager at ZEN ENERGY.
Nayax was founded in 2005 as a developer of payment solutions for vending machines and has since expanded into a global fintech company with 1,250 employees worldwide. The company, led by CEO Yair Nechmad, is traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and NASDAQ.
ZEN ENERGY, owned by the Generation Capital fund, operates hundreds of ultra-fast charging stations in Israel at Delek Israel sites, Tapuz stations, and shopping centers. The company also recently won a tender by Netivei Israel to build dozens of additional charging complexes.
For the Israeli electric vehicle market, this move signals a transition to a more streamlined user experience. Drivers will be able to use payment methods they already have in hand, while companies will maintain identification and loyalty mechanisms, bridging the gap between driver convenience and the business interests of charging network operators.
