How can we help?
Tap Electric, a quick explainer
Who is Tap Electric?
Hello! We’re Tap Electric. Tap is an Amsterdam-based e-mobility startup founded in 2020.
Our mission is to deliver brilliant driver experience at the intersection of grid and mobility. We want to make electric driving simple and affordable for everyone.
Who is Tap for?
We help:
- Drivers find and use affordable chargers every day with our EV charging app.
- Owners, installers and operators provide reliable charging with our free charging management software.
Tap for Drivers
How does it work?
What does Tap do for drivers?
As an e-mobility service provider (eMSP), we make roaming agreements with many Charge Point Operators (CPOs) so you can use one app or charge card to access many networks of chargers.
When you charge your car with the Tap app or Tapkey, we lock in the price you see in the app and bill you for the energy you consume.
What sets us apart from other providers like ANWB, Shell and E-Flux is our user-friendly app. We build tools to help you know how much it costs to charge so you can save on your charging every time. Pricing is clear and you can calculate how much your charge session could cost.
Does Tap Electric own or operate chargers?
No. Our service helps you find and use chargers and pay in one app. In the app, you can see who owns or operates every charger.
Where can I charge with Tap?
You can charge at the largest public charger networks in Austria, Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, United Kingdom and Ireland.
See all the charger details you need to make an informed decision about your charging in the Tap app. This includes a full cost breakdown, information on availability and power, and more.
Why can’t I charge on every charger on any network?
We use strict quality criteria to filter out any chargers that we don’t think will provide a good experience. No one likes a faulty charger!
Charging networks connected to Tap must send us instant, complete, and reliable information so that we can show you the right information about every charger in our app, especially pricing. Believe it or not, some charger operators don’t share real time pricing – that means we wouldn’t be able to tell you what it would cost in advance! While not every charger meets our standards yet, you can already find and use ones on networks like Equans, Fastned, Ionity, Allego, Shell, and many more.
There’s a charger I want to use with Tap, but it’s not in the app yet.
Reach out to us on [email protected] and we’ll see if we can get it connected for you.
How much does it cost to use Tap?
With our pricing model, it’s clear on what you’re paying for and who you’re paying.
Your price = Charger price set by the operator + Transaction fee.
When you become a subscriber, you pay less or no transaction fees, even on our free plan. So you’re better off subscribing if you intend to use Tap even occasionally.
The charger prices you see in the app reflect whether you use Tap as pay-as-you-go or as a subscriber. See live charger prices in the Tap app.
How do I get started?
What do I need to do to get started with Tap?
You can start charging from the Tap app in minutes.
- Download the Tap Electric app from the App Store or Play Store.
- Choose how you want to sign up – you can use Apple ID, Google account, email or even continue as a guest.
- Make sure you have a payment method set up – you can already use Apple Pay or Google Pay if you have it on your phone.
Check out our Quick Start Guide in our Help Centre for more information.
How do I pay for my charging?
We offer Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, debit, iDeal and Bancontact.
What smartphones does Tap support?
Tap currently supports the following devices:
- iOS 12 or later, on Apple devices.
- Android 6.0 or later, on Android devices.
We recommend keeping automatic updates on. It’s the easiest way to make sure your app is always secure and working its best.
Charging with Tap
How do I charge with Tap?
You can charge right away using the app or by tapping your RFID Tapkey against a charger’s RFID reader.
Using the Tap app:
- Find an available charger.
- Check that the charger in the app matches the charger information in front of you.
- Plug in your cable, make sure it’s firmly connected to the car and the charger.
- Tap the “Charge” button in the app.
- Follow the status of your charging.
With a RFID Tapkey:
- Find an available charger.
Stand in front of the charger. - Plug in your cable, make sure it’s connected to your car and the charger.
- Hold your Tapkey against the RFID reader.
Need more help? Check our Help Centre for more detailed step-by-step.
How do I know that my charge session has started?
With the Tap app, you can see exactly what’s happening when you start a session. We show when we’re:
- Checking charger and payment
- Getting permission from the operator
- Requesting the charger to get ready
- Waiting for your car to start charging
Once your session has started your session status will show as charging.
Tip: When you start a session, look out for a flashing light on the charger. This is a good sign that the charger is responsive and ready to charge.
Can I track my charge session in real-time?
Yes. You can see your charging speed, session duration, energy and total cost in real time. We update this info whenever the charger sends an update, which is typically every 15 minutes or so.
Why does Tap reserve money for my charge?
If you’re not subscribed to Tap, we make a reservation on your payment details to make sure your total charging cost Is always covered. Don’t worry, at the end of your session, we pay back the remainder immediately. Your bank may show this right away, or in some cases it could take up to several days to show up on your statement; but rest assured, the reservation is instantly released by us at the end of a session.
Tap subscribers pay once a month for all session costs, with no reservation.
What should I do if I’m having trouble charging?
Get help on your session directly in the Tap app. We’ll help you troubleshoot it step by step.
If the charger is offline or faulty, contact the operator or owner for help, or try another nearby charger.
What is auto-stop and how do I use it?
With the Tap app you have even more control over how you want to charge with our auto-stop feature.
From the charger screen, you can choose to automatically stop your session based on costs, energy or time.
Do I need my own cable to charge?
It’s recommended to keep a charging cable in your car, as most public chargers require you to use your own.
Chargers with a speed of 50 kW or higher usually have a built-in cable.
What do I do if my cable is stuck to the charger?
The fastest way to get unstuck is to call the operator. Look for the operator’s contact information on the charger or search online using the operator name.
If the charger is the Easee brand, check out this helpful guide on unlocking your cable:
https://support.easee.com/hc/en-gb/articles/4413179746705-The-charging-cable-is-stuck-what-do-I-do
Still having trouble? Contact Tap support for help.
Tap subscriptions and RFID Tapkeys
What’s the right Tap subscription for me?
If you’re planning to charge at least once with Tap, you’re always better off signing up to our free subscription since you pay less for charging than pay-as-you-go.
The right plan for you will depend on how often you charge, how much energy you consume and where you charge.
Compare Tap subscriptions here.
How do I subscribe to Tap?
Sign up and manage your Tap subscription in the Tap app.
- Tap on the ‘Profile’ tab from the bottom navigation
- Tap on ‘Wallet’ under ‘Your activity’
- Tap on ‘Subscriptions’ under ‘Your subscriptions’
- Follow the prompts
Can I change or cancel my subscription any time?
Yes. Our plans are flexible because we understand that your charging needs can change over time.
Can I add my business name and VAT?
Yes, you can add your business name and VAT to your subscription at any time. These details will be reflected on all invoices generated after the update.
What is an RFID Tapkey?
Our Tapkey acts like a charge card. This key is an access device, linked to your Tap account. It lets you start and stop your sessions on the public chargers. If you start a session with your Tapkey, you will immediately see the session start in the app (as long as the charger is connected to the internet). You can stop a session in the app that you started with your Tapkey, and vice versa.
How do I get a RFID Tapkey?
Sign up to one of our subscriptions that comes with a free RFID Tapkey in the Tap app.
How do I use a RFID Tapkey?
Simply tap it against the card reader on the charger to start or stop your charge session.
Is the RFID Tapkey safe?
The Tapkey is the most secure charge card on the market: it works together with the Tap Electric app to offer two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect you against copying or theft. Make sure to turn on 2FA in the Tap app to benefit from this security.
How many Tapkeys can I have on my Tap account?
You can have one Tapkey per account. Each driver should have their own account.
How long does It take for a Tapkey to arrive?
You can have one Tapkey per account. Each driver should have their own account.
How many Tapkeys can I have on my Tap account?
We typically ship your Tapkey within 1 business day of you confirming your subscription.
It can take up to a week for your Tapkey to arrive from our office along the canals of Amsterdam. If you think it’s gotten lost on its journey, reach out to us on support.
My Tapkey was stolen!
If you haven’t already, reach out to Tap Support by phone or email. We’ll deactivate your card so that no one can use it without your permission and send you a new one.
I lost my Tapkey
If you can’t find your Tapkey, reach out to Tap Support. We’ll deactivate it and send you a new one.
When will I be billed for my subscription?
Tap subscribers get billed monthly based on your renewal date.
But what about...?
Find more answers in our Help Centre or reach out to us at [email protected].
Unable to access your Tap account?
Reach out to our support team at [email protected]. We offer 24/7 support to get you back on track.
Delete your account
Thanks for giving us a go.
To delete your account:
- Tap on the ‘Profile’ tab from the bottom navigation
- Tap on ‘Profile Settings’ under ‘Settings’
- Tap on ‘Delete account’
We hope to see you back someday on the Tap app.
