“No parking, no business” has long been a familiar expression in retail. As electric driving grows, a new reality is emerging: no charging, no business.

At retail locations, charging bays are increasingly occupied for long periods by people who are not shopping. Genuine customers are left waiting for an available space.

What parking has already solved

Professional parking systems have long linked use to a receipt, licence plate, QR exit ticket or loyalty card. The same logic can be applied to EV charging.

activate charging through the store app, a QR code or loyalty card;
link charging to a minimum purchase;
apply an appropriate time limit;
combine parking, loyalty and charging.

One integrated ecosystem

Parkingware already operates comparable technology for parking, access and EV charging in leisure and hospitality. The technical step towards retail is surprisingly small.

We expect retail, parking, loyalty and smart charging to increasingly become one integrated ecosystem.