Travelling to Portugal: This rule could block your charging card

Electric car drivers use charging cards or badges, which are compatible with hundreds of thousands of charging points all over Europe. But not in Portugal—why is that?

Portugal boasts a dense network of charging points, making it easy to travel by electric car. Unless, that is, you’re a foreigner. In fact, almost all charging cards and badges issued outside Portugal simply won’t work at charging stations. Whereas thanks to roaming, these popular payment methods work for EV users at hundreds of thousands of charging points across Europe, even outside the EU, in Portugal, it’s a different story. Before you set off, check your operator’s app or website map to see if your card is interoperable in this Iberian country.

Why doesn’t it work?

The problem arises because you don’t have a NIF—a Portuguese tax number—and your provider hasn’t taken the steps needed to offer this service to their customers. That’s right, Portuguese officials in Lisbon have decided to deprive visitors of this convenience over identification and taxation concerns. Fortunately, there’s a solution for non-residents: a well-known card and the Miio and Zunder apps. It’s best to download these apps before you travel.

How does it work?

Once at the charging point, you’ll need to use the Miio app by tapping the "Carregar" button on your smartphone screen, and either using a subscription or making a prepayment within the app, specifying which charging point you’re using. With Zunder, tap the central circular button, then scan the QR code or enter the connector’s identification number manually. Without prepayment or registration, you can also scan the QR code on the charging point to start charging, after entering your credit or debit card details. There’s another solution for tourists too: the Chargemap Pass card. This badge from the well-known French company is one of the few compatible in Portugal.

(MH with Olivier Duquesne – Photo: © picture alliance / NurPhoto | Luis Boza)