How should you compare fleet EV charge cards?

Compare fleet charge cards using your actual routes, invoices and driver controls. A large network headline does not show whether your drivers can use the chargers they need. Public charging rules require payment roaming through at least one third party for operators within scope [S1]; that does not make every card universal. Test access and total cost. Checked October 2026.

Last checked 16 October 2026

What are fleet charge cards and which payment options should you compare?

A fleet charge card is an access and billing arrangement for business charging. Radio frequency identification (RFID) identifies a card when it is presented to a reader. Payment roaming allows charging across different networks through an app or RFID card. [S1] The regulations distinguish RFID access cards from bank payment cards. [S2] The useful comparison is how an arrangement fits your routes and accounts, rather than a provider ranking. Use the eMSP glossary to clarify the account provider role before comparing offers.

Include a bank-card fallback and an expenses process in the comparison. Your aim is to let drivers complete authorised journeys while keeping an auditable record. Ask each prospective service to demonstrate the same sample journey and invoice.

Treat each row as a procurement option, not a claim that a service includes every feature. Read roaming explained and ad-hoc charging before writing your specification.

What fleet card fees and charges should you compare?

Request a complete fee schedule with energy prices, subscriptions, card replacement, session charges, idle charges and any minimum commitment. Ask which charges vary by location and whether the displayed map price matches the invoice. Compare the same tax basis and the same charging sessions.

Kilowatt-hours (kWh) measure electricity delivered. Kilowatts (kW) measure power. A lower monthly card fee can be outweighed by a higher price per kWh. Build a spreadsheet using delivered energy and actual stop locations before deciding which offer has the lower total cost.

This is an illustration, not a quote. Assume payment option A has no monthly fee and charges 70p/kWh. Option B has a £10 monthly fee per active card and charges 65p/kWh at the same usable stops. Assume no other charges and the same VAT treatment. These are invented calculation inputs, not market prices.

The break-even volume is £10 ÷ (£0.70 − £0.65) = 200 kWh per card per month. Repeat the calculation with written prices and realistic use for each driver. Do not assume unused cards have the same costs as active cards.

How do you check fleet card coverage on your routes?

Select your routine stops, occasional long journeys and fallback locations. Check each location’s access hours, vehicle fit, connector, card acceptance and price. A point near the route is not necessarily reachable by a loaded van with a trailer or usable after a site gate closes.

Ask a driver to make a small authorised test charge, then follow the transaction into the account and invoice. Record the point identifier and the method used to start the session. Repeat for a fallback stop. This is a suggested acceptance test, rather than evidence that any particular card works.

Public charging guidance requires operators within scope to connect to at least one third-party roaming service. It does not require every card to access every network. [S1] Coverage should therefore be a route-by-route check. Use mixed fleet charging to decide how much public access your operation actually needs.

Which controls and expense records should you ask for?

Write a short acceptance list: driver or vehicle assignment, department code, spending alerts, lost-card blocking, downloadable session records and a clear dispute route. Ask whether a restriction stops charging or merely sends a notification. Test the process for a pooled vehicle changing drivers.

Request a sample export containing the session location, time, energy, amount and applicable tax information. Confirm who supplies the invoice and what happens when a transaction is corrected after the month closes. These are requested contract features; their availability must be confirmed in writing.

Energy Saving Trust describes the use of vehicle or employee card assignment for company accounts. [S4] Keep those identifiers consistent with your vehicle register so that finance staff can reconcile usage without asking drivers to reconstruct journeys later.

How do you handle public, home and depot charging on the same account?

Keep location and payment method visible even if you receive a combined invoice. Separate electricity bought for your depot, home reimbursements and public charging transactions. Ask how the service prevents duplicate claims when a driver also submits an expense receipt.

HMRC’s advisory electric rates from 1 September 2026 are 7p per mile for home charging and 15p for public charging. Its guidance permits fair and reasonable apportionment for mixed home and public charging of company cars. The rates apply only in the circumstances HMRC specifies. [S3] Check your policy with your accountant, particularly for vans, private vehicles and employer-paid electricity.

Use home charging reimbursement for the policy questions. A public fleet card alone does not establish who owns a home charger or who pays when a driver leaves.

What should you do next?

Prepare a route list, a sample month’s charging and a list of required account controls. Compare written offers against that evidence, including renewal, exit, data export and lost-card procedures. For site equipment, keep the funding decision separate from the public payment-card decision.

Read fleet and depot charging, then get matched with an installer that covers your area.

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