Exhibitor News

Voqa, the commercial EV charging company built by the team behind contactless payments on public transport across 500 cities, today announces the launch of the Voqa One across the UK. The Voqa One is a commercial EV charger designed for hotels, leisure venues, workplaces and destination businesses; combining built-in contactless payments with a fully managed back-office service so businesses can offer EV charging without any added burden on their staff.

The product launches at a moment of acute opportunity for UK businesses. Today, 50% of EV drivers actively choose their hotel or destination based on the availability of on-site charging, yet only 6% of UK hotels currently advertise it. For the 2 million EV drivers already on UK roads, and the 7 million expected by 2030, destination charging is quickly becoming as expected as a car park.

WHY VOQA ONE IS DIFFERENT

Every other commercial EV charger on the market requires drivers to download an app, register an account or scan a QR code before they can charge. For EV drivers, that is a frustrating experience. For hotel reception teams and venue managers, it means fielding calls and complaints that should never have come their way.

Voqa One removes the need for 3rd party apps, loyalty cards or QR codes. Drivers tap their contactless bank card, or Apple Pay or Google Pay, and charging begins immediately. No app. No registration. No fuss.

For the businesses hosting the charger, Voqa handles everything behind the scenes: payments are processed automatically, monthly revenue reports are sent directly to the owner, and a 24/7 driver support line means guest problems never become staff problems. Businesses set their own pricing for drivers and receive their share of revenue monthly.

"We built Voqa because we were frustrated as EV drivers ourselves," said Becky Lalanne, Managing Director of Voqa. "Every charger we encountered either needed an app we hadn't downloaded, or left a hotel receptionist trying to troubleshoot something they'd never been trained on. We knew there had to be a better way, and with 30 years of transport payments expertise behind us, we were well-placed to build it."

BUILT ON PROVEN PAYMENTS INFRASTRUCTURE

Voqa is a subsidiary of Kuba Pay, part of the ICM Group, the company that brought contactless payments to buses, trains and ferries across more than 500 cities worldwide. That heritage means the payments technology inside every Voqa One has been tested and proven at scale, in environments where reliability is non-negotiable.

Early pilot results bear this out. Across Voqa's initial UK customer sites span the hotel, workspace and leisure industries, showing the need for a new type of product for these piblic/private charging scenarios. The average session lasts 6.4 hours, precisely the kind of extended stay that suits hotels, golf clubs, restaurants and leisure destinations.

WHAT BUSINESSES ARE SAYING

Lucy Thomas of the Berkeley Hotel, Bristol, was one of Voqa's first customers. "We were losing bookings because we didn't have a charger," she said. "Installing Voqa One in our car park has opened us up to a whole segment of guests who would previously have booked elsewhere."

Chloë Arnoldi, Office Manager at Glove Factory Studios in Holt, switched to Voqa One after their previous charger required front-desk activation for every session. "It bypasses all those pesky apps and provides an immediate tap-and-go service," she said. "It has been such a hit that we've already ordered a second unit."

Lauren Gillis of FutureLeap described the response from members as simple: "It's been an instant hit."

DESIGNED TO BE EFFORTLESS, EVERY DAY

The unit has been designed to be effortless, but this isn’t just a marketing pitch. 

For drivers, tethered cables and a contactless payment capability means you plug in, tap and charge. For site owners, Voqa manages the back end payments, reconciliation and revenue share, meaning your staff crack on with their day jobs. And for installers, it means fast installation with space to wire, straight forward commissioning so no waiting online for someone to connect accounts. The Voqa One features a modular two-part design, a head unit and a cradle, that means any hardware issue can be resolved by swapping the head unit, without an electrician's visit and without taking the charger offline. The cradle stays in place; the head unit returns to Voqa and a replacement is sent out. In an industry where charger downtime is one of the most common complaints, this is a meaningful operational advantage.

The unit supports 7kW or 22kW AC charging, works across two vehicles simultaneously, and connects via Ethernet, 4G or WiFi — ensuring reliable performance even in rural locations with limited mobile signal.

AVAILABILITY

Voqa One is available now for UK businesses. For pricing, installation enquiries or to arrange a demonstration, visit www.voqa.com or contact the Voqa team directly.

About Voqa

Voqa provides effortless commercial EV charging for destination businesses through its Voqa One charger, combining built-in contactless payments with a streamlined driver experience designed for hotels, workplaces, and leisure venues. Voqa is a subsidiary of Kuba Pay France, itself part of the ICM Mobility Group, which has over 30 years of experience in contactless payment infrastructure.

Website: www.voqa.com

Contact: Becky Lalanne, Managing Director | becky@voqa.com | 07566 271817