Drivers do not want a philosophy of authentication. They want the cable to work. Still, the method you use changes reliability, speed, and what support can see when something fails.
easyplug supports three common paths on the same driver account: remote start in the app, RFID / NFC, and Plug & Charge (ISO 15118). Here is how we think about each.
Remote start (app)
Best for: roaming, live pricing, choosing connector type, watching kWh and cost stream live.
You pick the charger in the app (or tell the agent), hit Start, then plug in. You need signal and a healthy app session. In return you get the richest context: price before start, live energy, clear stop, and a ticket trail if support has to step in.
This is also the path where filters matter — free bay, 100 kW+, CCS — before you leave the highway exit.
RFID / NFC card
Best for: dead phone, poor coverage, sites you visit every day.
You tap the reader on the pedestal. It is fast when the card is provisioned correctly on the eMSP and the station accepts that scheme. It is confusing when the card is not linked, expired, or the pole only speaks another network’s tokens.
RFID is a great backup. It is a bad only-path if you also need transparent roaming prices on unfamiliar networks.
Plug & Charge (ISO 15118)
Best for: highway and commute once your vehicle and the station both support it.
You plug the cable; the car and charger negotiate identity over TLS. No app open required. Support is still uneven across Europe, network by network, which is why we surface Plug & Charge readiness in the product instead of assuming every CCS bay will “just work.”
We wrote a deeper explainer in Plug & Charge, explained .
One account for all three
The mess starts when app, RFID, and Plug & Charge are three different contracts with three different apps. History fragments. Support asks which account you used. Invoices disagree.
easyplug keeps them on one driver account so history, invoices, and tickets stay in one place — whichever method started the session.
Practical advice
- Enroll Plug & Charge where your car supports it and the networks you use support it.
- Keep an RFID card as backup for dead-phone moments.
- Use the app when you need price transparency, filters, or help finding a free bay.
Reliability is a product of all three paths working together, not a single QR code stuck on a pole.
What’s next
If you build or operate chargers, see OCPP for operators . If you are debugging starts, see Charger won’t start .