A U.S.-based electric-vehicle charging network operator plans to start accepting cryptocurrency payments.
Maryland-headquartered Blink Charging said it will add the option by the end of the year. It may also introduce loyalty rewards and other perks “designed to enhance driver value.”
Many EV drivers put a premium on convenience in powering up on the road, a recent study by EV charging equipment provider Gilbarco Veeder-Root found. Its poll showed they value the types of perks gas-powered auto owners have come to expect at corner stations.
Blink, a global EV charger and service provider, is adding the crypto convenience because many EV drivers have been early adopters of the growing payment alternative.
“EV drivers propel innovation and embrace the future before it becomes the norm and we’re excited to be able to serve the community with the latest technology in payments,” said Blink Chief Technology Officer Harmeet Singh in a press release on the move.
“At Blink, our vision is to bring these two transformative trends together, providing drivers with greater convenience, flexibility, and potential cost savings.”
Ironically, the Trump administration has discouraged EV adoption while pumping up cryptocurrency, including easing regulation of the currency and the Trump family business issuing its own cryptocurrency token.
Its unclear how many public chargers Blink operates in the U.S. Its Wikipedia page indicates it had more than 100,000 worldwide as of last year.
