The smart charging card - cashback for smart charging
The smart charging card - cashback for smart charging
The Beginning of Worldwide Smart Charging
On February 5th, 2025, Deftpower enabled the first-ever cashback rewards for EV drivers using smart charging in public.
This groundbreaking initiative, launched in Amsterdam, reflects our commitment to technological leadership. In collaboration with charge point operator Equans, leading consumer driver association ANWB, and the City of Amsterdam, we set out to make EV charging cheaper, cleaner, and grid-aware.
Since February 2025, Mobility Service Providers (MSPs) on the Deftpower platform have been offering these smart charging cashback rewards in Amsterdam. Depending on the session, drivers can earn between €0.20 and €10 per charge. This marks the arrival of MSP 2.0 - the next generation of MSPs, brokering energy market value directly back to EV drivers.
As the price difference between peak and off-peak hours grows, real-time energy arbitrage becomes more valuable. MSP 2.0 leverages this value to benefit the end user, turning energy market complexity into simple savings.
Amsterdam is just the beginning. Our vision is that two-thirds of all charging sessions will deliver cashback. Why? Because today, EV drivers routinely overpay at charging stations. Our data, derived from millions of sessions, shows that electricity costs can be reduced by 10–20%.
So why are we overpaying, and how does Deftpower solve this problem?
1.This is Valley Pricing – Charging Off-Peak for the Lowest Electricity Costs
Our data shows that 69% of energy consumption could have occurred at lower energy rates.
EV drivers typically remain connected to charging stations three times longer than the charging time requires. CPOs and MSPs often charge a fixed price per kWh, regardless of when a session occurs. But the energy market runs on hourly price fluctuations - 24 unique price points each day. Fixed pricing, while simple, masks the opportunity to optimize for cost and sustainability.
Deftpower’s smart algorithms identify the cheapest hours, even when fixed rates apply. While drivers don’t directly see these market fluctuations, the CPO or energy supplier does - and saves money. We then make it possible to return savings to drivers in the form of a cashback.
And yes, drivers are flexible. Our insights show that EVs remain plugged in three times longer than their actual charge time. This idle time is an untapped opportunity.
We define this opportunity as the “valley” - the optimal 3–4-hour window within a session where prices are lowest. Our platform automatically aligns charging with this valley, helping drivers save without lifting a finger. Having received the departure time and state of charge of the EV battery, the Deftpower solution defines the “valley” and optimizes the existing charging session.
2.CPOs, EV Drivers, and Grid Operators: collaboration leads to better economics
Valley Pricing doesn’t just help drivers. It enables stronger economics for those exposed to real-time energy pricing - CPOs and their energy suppliers. By steering usage to the valley, stakeholders maintain fixed sale prices while purchasing electricity at up to 20% lower costs.
Our partner Equans is the first CPO to unlock this value in Amsterdam, alongside our partner ANWB who engage their large and loyal customer base to join the pilot. Together, we introduced a model where ANWB drivers are rewarded, Equance reduces energy costs, and the Municipality of Amsterdam learns to manage net congestion in the public space - a win-win built through collaboration.
At scale, this has massive potential. Shifting demand across Europe’s public charging network could unlock over €10 billion in value. Today, that value is lost to inefficiencies. We’re realigning the charging economy to serve everyone better.
Grid operators benefit too - at no extra cost. Load shifting reduces daily grid congestion by up to 95%, delaying or eliminating the need for expensive infrastructure investments. This is smart energy use at its best.
Over €10 billion in value can be unlocked by shifting demand to optimal grid hours.
3.I Am a Charge Point Operator – How Do I Benefit?
No technical integration required
No roaming hub or OCPI complexity
All smart charging handled in the cloud
With Deftpower, CPOs offload complexity and unlock new revenue.
Valley Pricing eliminates the hassle of managing dynamic tariffs. Instead of publishing daily prices or navigating error-prone CDRs and invoicing, CPOs can adopt a simpler, smarter, and more transparent model.
It’s a classic case of “less is more”:
Less operational burden
Less risk
No manual work
More revenue
4.The best driver experience
EV drivers simply continue using their existing public charging app. The process is seamless.
Importantly, drivers always stay in control, they don’t need a new app.
They simply use their existing public charging app—no downloads, no extra steps. Simplicity and control remain central. An easy “override” button disables smart charging anytime. We believe in trust through transparency - the final decision always rests with the driver.
Charging cost - especially at public chargers - is one of the most stressful elements of EV ownership. With Deftpower’s solution, drivers go from stress to freedom and control: charging becomes smarter, more affordable, and “owned” by nobody else than the EV driver himself.
By 2026, AI-based automation will manage the entire process. Cashbacks will happen automatically just by plugging in.
5.The Future is the MSP 2.0
All CPOs on the Deftpower platform receive Valley Pricing at no cost, enabling them to offer better economics and smarter services to their customers. As more European CPOs adopt this approach, MSPs will see an increasing share of smart, optimized charging sessions among their users.
MSP 2.0 isn’t just a new business model - it’s a breakthrough in aligning incentives across the energy and mobility ecosystem. The Amsterdam pilot, conducted in partnership with Equans, ANWB and the City of Amsterdam, demonstrates how cashback rewards, grid optimization, and driver satisfaction can coexist and scale successfully.
Beyond financial savings, MSP 2.0 offers a direct contribution to grid stability. Grid operators benefit passively from this shift, as load balancing from peak to off-peak hours can reduce congestion caused by EV charging up to 95% daily, minimizing the need for expensive infrastructure expansion.
For Energy companies, CPOs, MSPs, Municipalities and EV drivers ready to unlock the full value of smart charging, the time to act is now. Contact us to join the next generation of EV charging - efficient, affordable, grid-friendly, and built on collaboration.
