The normal solution is: you drive up, you fill up, and then you go inside and pay when you're done. No app, no smartphone, no problem. You can pay cash or card.
Why in the world would you complicate this?
Why in the world would you complicate this?
How is getting out of your car, walking to a valet or booth to talk to a person, and paying where they ask "What is your stall number?" less complicated than literally just plugging in your car?
To be clear, if you have a Tesla, there is NO app needed. There's nothing. You literally just plug in and it works. That's better than any gas station I've ever been to.
FYI - This isn't a Tesla EV thing. This is an EV thing. EVERY network basically requires either an RFID card or a smart phone app: ElectrifyAmerica, Chargepoint, SOMA, Flo, EVGo. I can't think of one that doesn't.
My Mach E isn't a Tesla and charges on EA stations by just plugging it in. I don't have an EA app. There's a standard protocol for this negotiation. Lots of chargers don't yet support it, but the technology exists for non-Teslas to have a plug and charge experience.
You drive up. Plug in. Done.
There's no app. There's no wallet.
There's no kiosk or attendant that has to be maintained or paid.
Go inside where and pay whom? The vast majority of charging stations I've seen are unmanned.