At a workplace, the charging problem is rarely power — it is strangers. An open post in a shared car park can be used by any car that reaches it, and nobody can say who charged. RFID access on the EV-ACT3204E changes that: a session starts only when a staff card is tapped, so the posts stay reserved for staff and every session is tied to a card. This article is the workplace case for that setup — what it solves, how it runs, and what it does not do.
Key Takeaways
- At work, RFID solves access and attribution, not power: only cardholders can start a session.
- Cards suit staff because they need no app, no account and no signal at the post.
- Joiners, leavers and visitors are card-list and policy routines — decide them in advance.
- Billing integration is not stated for this unit; confirm it in writing before promising it.
The Problem a Card Solves at Work
A workplace car park is semi-public by nature. Visitors, contractors and the business next door can all reach the posts, and an unrestricted charger invites use you never agreed to — your electricity, their cars, no record. A card system closes the post without closing the car park: the hardware sits there all day, but energy only flows for cardholders. The same tap also answers the second workplace question, fairness. When several staff share one or two posts, a session tied to a card is a session you can attribute, which is what makes a simple rota enforceable. How RFID compares with app and platform control in general is covered in our overview of RFID and user management for shared chargers.
How It Runs, Day to Day
| Situation | How the card setup handles it |
|---|---|
| A staff member arrives | They tap their card, plug in, and charge. No app download, no account sign-up at the post. |
| A new starter needs access | A card is issued and registered to them by whoever administers the chargers — an office routine, not an installation visit. |
| Someone leaves the company | Their card comes off the list. Access ends with employment, not with the next hardware service. |
| A visitor or contractor asks to charge | That is a policy decision, not a technical one. Options include a guest card kept at reception or a polite no — decide it once, in advance. |
| Two staff want the same post | Sessions are attributable to cards, so a rota or a half-day swap rule can actually be checked against records. |
At 22 kW, the arithmetic helps the rota: where the supply is three-phase and a car accepts the full rate, a half-day turn adds a large share of a battery, so one post can serve two staff cars across a working day. Where cars accept less, they simply take longer — the card system works the same at any speed.
What RFID Does Not Do
- It identifies who charged; it is not a billing platform. The ACT3204E’s listing states RFID and app control. Payroll deduction, per-user invoicing and back-office reporting integrations are not stated for this unit — treat them as written confirmations to get from EVDANCE before you promise them to your finance team.
- It does not price the energy. Costing a session is your tariff applied to the energy used. As a labelled example only: 20 kWh at an example price of €0.30 per kWh is €6.00. Your own electricity price decides the real figure.
- It does not replace the wider programme. Eligibility, parking rules and what happens as demand grows are management decisions; our workplace EV charging programme guide covers that planning layer.
If managed billing across many posts is the actual requirement, the step up in the same range is the EV-AC03201T dual-connector station, which lists OCPP 1.6J with RFID. The ACT3204E’s case is the simpler one: fixed posts, known users, cards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do staff need a phone app to charge?
No. The card is the credential at the post. The unit also offers app control, but a card-only routine works for staff who will not install an app — one reason cards suit mixed workforces.
Visitors keep asking to charge. Should we leave one post open?
Decide it as policy, not case by case. An open post is unattributed: anyone can use it and no record exists. If you want to offer visitor charging, a guest card kept at reception keeps the same record as staff charging; if you do not, a card-only setup is the polite, automatic no.
Can we charge staff for the electricity through the cards?
The card tells you who charged; turning that into money is a separate arrangement. Per-user billing is not stated for this unit, so confirm any billing scope in writing before relying on it, and take tax advice for your own situation.
Related Reading
- RFID and User Management for Shared EV Chargers
- How to Plan a Workplace EV Charging Program
- What Is an RFID Card for EV Charging?
