Scan, Pay, Charge. UPI Built Into Your Chargers.
UPI payment integration lets EV drivers pay for charging by scanning a QR code, with no app download, no RFID card and no wallet top-up.
Why UPI for charging
App-download friction kills utilization at public sites. Every Indian driver already has UPI. Every Indian merchant already accepts it. Public charging conversion rises the moment payment collapses to a scan. The chargers that never became productive at highway sites, mall parking and residential visitors are the ones that made drivers install an app first.
Integration patterns we build
One or more, depending on your charger and CMS:
- Dynamic QR per session, generated at the CMS or on the charger display, with the exact estimated amount
- Static QR with amount entry for simple sites (no display required)
- UPI intent flow inside your own driver app for one-tap payment
- UPI Autopay mandates for recurring plans (fleet drivers, apartment residents, monthly subscribers)
The session flow
The driver scans the QR and pays the estimated amount by UPI. A payment confirmation triggers the session to start automatically. When the session ends, any unused prepaid balance is refunded to the driver, or the difference is collected. Every step has a timeout and a fallback, so a stuck session refunds automatically instead of trapping the driver's money.
Edge cases we engineer for
Payment succeeds but the charger faults before session start (auto-refund, event logged for ops). Session ends early due to vehicle fault (partial refund at exact kWh delivered). Charger goes offline mid-session (transaction resumes on reconnect, or graceful stop with reconciliation). Basement scenario where the phone has UPI signal but the charger has no network (BLE bridge, cross-linked to offline charging pillar).
Gateways and compliance
Integration with major UPI PSPs and gateways (Razorpay, Cashfree, PhonePe Business, BharatPe, direct bank integrations). GST-ready invoicing including reverse-charge for B2B. RBI recurring-payment framework alignment for Autopay mandates (verify current mandate limits at build time; they change).
Works with your stack
Your existing CMS via API (webhook in, RemoteStartTransaction out). A RIOD-built CMS with UPI baked in. Or directly at the charger firmware level with a display capable of QR rendering. Bundle depth is your call.
Engineering notes behind UPI Payment Integration.
Questions we get most.
How does UPI payment work on an EV charger?
The driver scans a QR code at the charger, pays a fixed or estimated amount by UPI, and the payment gateway's confirmation webhook triggers the CMS to start the session over OCPP. Unused prepaid balance is auto-refunded when the session ends.
Do drivers need to install an app to pay by UPI?
No. That is the point. Any UPI app the driver already has works with the QR flow. An operator app is optional and adds features like session history and favorites, but payment never requires it.
What happens if payment succeeds but charging fails to start?
The integration RIOD builds includes automatic failure handling: if the charger does not confirm session start within a timeout, the payment is auto-refunded and the fault is logged for operations. Drivers should never chase refunds manually.
Can UPI work if the charger is offline?
Yes, in the BLE-based flow. The driver's phone carries both the UPI payment and the charger authorization over Bluetooth, so a basement charger with no SIM can still take UPI payments through the driver's connectivity.
Does UPI Autopay work for charging subscriptions?
Yes. We implement UPI Autopay mandates for recurring plans, common for fleet drivers and apartment residents, so monthly charging plans debit automatically within RBI mandate limits.
Every Indian driver already has your payment method.
Tell us about your chargers and CMS. Let's get on a call.
Add UPI to your chargers