Payment Reliability Powers UK’s Green Transport Revolution

The transition to electric mobility depends on more than just installing charging points. As the UK accelerates towards net zero, the reliability of charging infrastructure has emerged as critical in enabling drivers to confidently abandon fossil fuel vehicles. Now, a partnership between Duracell E-Charge and Paythru is tackling one of the sector's most overlooked obstacles: payment failures that prevent vehicles from charging.

Duracell E-Charge has selected Paythru to deliver the end-to-end payments infrastructure for its UK ultra-fast EV charging network. The collaboration will enable multi-channel payment acceptance, automated settlement and real-time transaction orchestration across every site, ensuring that the technical promise of rapid charging translates into consistent, frictionless access for drivers making the switch to zero-emission vehicles.

The partnership forms part of a wider trend of digitising the UK's EV charging economy. Paythru will power the payments layer across all Duracell E-Charge locations, processing transactions consistently across card, app and terminal-based channels whilst consolidating settlement and reporting.

Keith Brown, founder and CEO of Paythru, says: "Duracell E-Charge is setting a new benchmark for the UK's public charging infrastructure by focusing not just on charging speed but also user experience – an area where customers consistently say EV charging needs to improve."

Removing friction from green mobility

User experience remains particularly important in public charging environments, where payment friction continues to deter drivers from embracing electric vehicles. Payment reliability has emerged as an ongoing problem that directly impacts the viability of sustainable transport networks.

According to industry estimates, a quarter of charging failures are rooted in payment issues. This could have significant implications for EV adoption rates, as unreliable charging experiences create anxiety and discourage drivers from transitioning away from petrol and diesel vehicles.

"With reported figures of up to 25% of charging failures being driven by payment processes, and payment failure being within UK regulations on downtime, this is a key area of focus," Mark Bloxham, managing director of Duracell E-Charge, says.

Infrastructure built for sustainable scale

Duracell E-Charge's rollout includes six ultra-fast charging locations funded by The EV Network, with plans to expand across motorways, retail and hospitality venues throughout the UK. Each location features Duracell's signature focus on reliability and intuitive design.

Behind the scenes, Paythru's orchestration-led infrastructure aligns with the complex payment needs of EV networks. Using real-time transaction routing and integrated settlement reporting, the system ensures charging payments are processed in under a second.

Keith adds: "The Duracell E-Charge Network is setting the goal of 99% uptime to tackle driver concerns about reliability. Truly offering 99% uptime means not just that the charger is on 99% of the time, but that payments go through efficiently so users can charge. Paythru will help it differentiate by reducing payment failure rates to near zero, with an industry-leading 99.8% payment success rate."

Unlike traditional payment gateways, orchestration platforms such as Paythru sit between channels – card, wallet or app – and unify them into one consistent layer. This allows both operators and consumers to benefit from seamless authorisation, greater uptime and automated reconciliation.

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Supporting net zero through technical reliability

Payments orchestration plays a direct role in sustainability outcomes. Every failed transaction prevents an electric vehicle from charging when needed, forcing delays or detours that increase journey inefficiency and potentially push drivers back towards conventional fuel sources.

Reducing downtime and friction helps the entire network operate with higher energy utilisation and fewer redundancies. When charging infrastructure functions reliably, drivers can integrate electric vehicles into their lives without the range anxiety that has historically limited the adoption of zero-emission transport.

"With Paythru, we have a platform purpose-built for EV networks, delivering enterprise-grade reliability, automated settlement and multi-channel payment options that scale effortlessly as the network grows," Mark continues. "Drivers can plug in with confidence and operators can focus on growth and customer experience rather than worrying about payments."

As the UK continues to build out its electric vehicle charging network, the role of payments infrastructure in enabling the transition to sustainable transport is becoming increasingly apparent. By ensuring that technical barriers do not prevent drivers from accessing clean energy, partnerships such as that between Duracell E-Charge and Paythru are helping to build the foundation for a zero-emission future.