Help drivers choose where to charge with confidence

At a petrol station, the price per litre is clear before you fill up. Drivers expect the same clarity when charging an EV. But charging prices can be hidden behind several taps or split across energy, start, time-based and overstay fees. They may also vary by time, contract, subscription or available rewards.

This makes it difficult for drivers to answer three basic questions:

• Which fees apply to me?
• What might I ultimately pay for this session?
• How does this location compare with the alternatives?

The problem lies not only with the complexity of the tariff, but also with when and how the information is presented. Drivers can be forced to open locations one-by-one or enter the “charge here” flow before they can compare their options.

Our research revealed both problems. Drivers told us they were reluctant to press “charge here” because it sounded like a commitment; they wanted to understand the price before choosing a connector. In one market review, estimates for the same 18 kWh top-up on the same socket at a location in France ranged from approximately €6.90 to €13.34 across different apps and tariffs.

Clear pricing should be a basic part of every charging experience. It helps drivers make informed decisions and avoid surprises when they receive the final bill.

The value extends further for mobility service providers. Every charging decision is also an experience with the MSP’s brand. If drivers cannot find or understand the price, they have another reason to contact support, leave the app or compare options elsewhere. When an app helps them understand the likely cost and choose confidently, it builds trust and gives them a reason to begin their next charger search there.

For CPOs, clear price visibility is also becoming commercially important, as price information and price-related filters increasingly appear in MSP procurement requirements and tenders.

Price transparency has long been part of the Deftpower charging experience. Drivers can receive tariff information when a session starts and can follow cost and consumption information while charging. Our latest improvements take this further by bringing clear, comparable information to drivers earlier in the journey, while they are still deciding where to charge.

Here are six ways Deftpower is setting a higher standard for price transparency throughout the charging journey.

1. Make charging prices easy to compare

Drivers should not have to open every location individually to find out what charging might cost.

To address this, we brought price information directly into the map. When one energy price applies at a location, a price pill above the charger pin shows that rate during the search. When a tariff contains several components or conditions, the pill says “View Price” and directs the driver to the complete breakdown.

The map becomes more than a directory of nearby chargers: it provides useful price information at the moment drivers are deciding where to charge, allowing them to compare straightforward tariffs at a glance.

2. Make charger search more relevant

Price is only one factor in a charging decision. Drivers may be looking for a fast charger, a location where rewards are available or a better indication of what the complete session could cost.

Quick filters help them narrow the map without opening the full filter menu. Instead of presenting a long list of locations for drivers to evaluate one by one, the app helps them surface the options that best match their immediate needs. They can focus on fast chargers, find locations where cashback rewards are available to lower their charging costs, or use a quick filter to show estimated session costs on the map instead of energy prices.

3. Compare likely session costs before choosing where to charge

Deftpower already allows drivers to estimate the total cost of a charging session. In the price calculator, they can adjust their expected energy consumption and session times to see how different fees affect the likely total.

Our latest improvements bring that capability earlier into the journey. Drivers can switch the map to estimated session costs and compare approximate totals while they are still deciding where to charge. This gives them a more complete basis for comparison than the energy rate alone. A charger with a lower price per kWh is not necessarily the less expensive option once fixed and time-related fees are included.

The amount is clearly presented as an estimate rather than the final charge, helping drivers make a more informed choice without creating a false expectation of exactly what they will pay.

Before, at a selected location: See the estimated total and its cost components

Now, during location search: Compare estimated session costs directly on the map

4. Make the charges behind the estimate easier to understand

A useful estimate should simplify the decision without hiding the tariff behind it.

Drivers can expand the location view to see the components included in the estimated price. From there, the “All prices” option provides access to the complete price schedule and its conditions.

Deftpower’s latest improvements make that information easier to interpret. The app can:

• show the rate that applies in the moment
• distinguish energy, start, time-based and overstay fees
• replace technical conditions with clear, contextual wording
• combine overlapping or repeated price rows where appropriate

This gives drivers two complementary levels of information: a clear estimate for quick comparison and a detailed breakdown when they want to understand how it was calculated.

The source tariff remains unchanged for price calculation, billing and settlement. Only its presentation is simplified, allowing drivers to understand the commercial terms without having to interpret the original tariff structure.⁠⁠

5. Keep drivers informed when the charging session starts

Drivers can start a session through the app, with a linked charge card or through Plug & Charge.

Where the charge point shares live session data, Deftpower can send a push notification confirming that charging has started. When the tariff is available and straightforward, the notification also shows the applicable price.

When the session ends, drivers can receive another notification showing how many kWh they charged. This keeps essential information visible at key moments without requiring them to open the app.

6. Help drivers follow costs while charging

Price transparency should not end when the charging session starts.

During an active session, drivers can follow their energy consumption and see a consumption-based estimate of the session cost in the app.

This gives drivers visibility while they are charging instead of requiring them to wait for the session to end before understanding what it may cost.

Together, these six capabilities create a connected price journey and form part of Deftpower’s ongoing work to make charging costs and driver benefits easier to understand.

Turn price transparency into a reason drivers choose your app

For an MSP, transparent pricing is more than accurate tariff presentation. Together, we can turn it into a customer benefit you actively market and position your app as a tool drivers rely on to:

• choose with confidence, by comparing locations on the likely total cost, not only the price per kWh
• stay in control, by understanding which fees apply and following relevant cost information throughout the session
• trust the experience, with informed decisions that lead to fewer surprises when the final invoice arrives

These improvements are the latest step in Deftpower’s longstanding focus on price transparency. We will continue refining how drivers understand and compare charging costs throughout the charging journey.

Talk to the Deftpower team about turning price transparency into a customer promise your drivers can act on.