Nine in ten EV drivers spend while charging, creating a new destination retail economy

New research from Attenda reveals the retail opportunities created by EV charging – but payment reliability threatens to hold the market back

A new report from Attenda reveals that 91 percent of EV drivers make purchases while waiting for their vehicles to charge, with 47 percent doing so regularly. There is a growing retail opportunity in EV charging, similar to fuel forecourts, but one that must account for longer dwell times and unattended payments.

The report, Mind the Mobility Payments Gap, in partnership with Switchio, surveyed UK consumers who regularly make mobility payments, such as for EV charging, parking, e-bike hire, or public transport. Among its findings is the shift of EV charging locations from simple service points to destinations. 87 percent of EV drivers say they are likely to choose a charging station based on nearby amenities, pointing to the rapid emergence of a new EV ‘destination economy’.

But the research also highlights a critical challenge: as mobility becomes more reliant on self-service – vital for services to scale – unattended payments are the point where trust is won or lost. This is true not just for EV charging, but across the whole mobility ecosystem.

From charging points to commerce hubs 

Attenda’s research found that EV drivers spend an average of £57 per month on charging, and have strong preferences for what charging hubs should offer. Drivers prioritise essential amenities such as coffee and food, retail shops and restrooms – but there is growing appetite for additional services, including workspaces (37 percent), car cleaning and maintenance (30 percent), and fitness facilities (28 percent).

Micromobility services, such as e-bike and e-scooter hire, are growing too, with average monthly spend on similar levels to that of EV charging (£40 per month for e-bikes and £34 for e-scooters). This high spend suggests users are making regular, rather than ad-hoc, use of micromobility services.

The ‘mobility payments gap’

Consumer readiness for self-service mobility is already strong. Two thirds of UK consumers make a mobility payment at least weekly, and 47 percent prefer unattended payments – including 28 percent of over-65s.

However, the research identifies a persistent gap between this appetite and real-world reliability. Despite 73 percent saying their local area is well equipped for payments on the go, 44 percent say unattended payment issues have disrupted a journey. Common causes include terminals not working, apps crashing, payments being declined and patchy connectivity. Meanwhile, one in five consumers report receiving a parking fine due to a transaction issue, rising to 30 percent in urban areas.

A majority (62 percent) of respondents have noticed regional differences in the ease of making mobility payments when travelling across the UK. London is seen as the easiest to make payments, with north-east and Wales at the bottom of the leaderboard.

Despite the growing preference for convenience, cash is the second most preferred payment method across all age groups, reinforcing its position as a fallback when digital experiences are inconsistent.

Trust is king for the future of mobility payments 

Current pain points may hold back further innovation in mobility – with many consumers keen to try new ways of paying for and engaging with services. There is considerable interest in next-generation models such as biometrics (with 43 percent likely to use such services), smart-car integration (40%) and bundled subscription-style services (39 percent), particularly among urban consumers.

While mobility innovation is moving quickly, trust is key to adoption. Consumers are cautious, with 64 percent worried about fraud in mobility payments. A third worry about security and possible data breaches, with a lack of support and lack of data privacy also commonly cited as issues.

“The last few years have seen considerable innovation in mobility – but innovation alone won’t deliver the next phase of growth,” said Matt Oldham, Chief Strategy Officer at Attenda. “Unattended mobility payments can gain wide adoption and scale through reliability, simplicity and inclusivity, particularly in regions that currently feel less well serviced. It’s vital that providers work together to make this happen, and capture the full value of this emerging economy.”

The full report can be accessed here: Mind The Mobility Payments Gap

Image courtesy of Unsplash. Photo credit: JUICE.