Methods, apparatuses and computer program products for requesting user authorization and responding to requested user authorization for electric vehicle charging sessions

A method for requesting user authorization for electric vehicle (EV) charging sessions, comprising:

• determining that an EV is at an EV charging station of interest by using an application installed either on a user mobile device that is at the same location as the EV or on equipment of the EV charging station, the EV charging station having a station identifier (ID);
• and
• requesting, by using the application, the user authorization for the EV charging sessions at the EV charging station;
• wherein said requesting the user authorization comprises:
• requesting, by using the application, a user of the EV to apply an available physical electronic key having a key ID to a key reader arranged at the EV charging station, thereby retrieving the key ID of the available physical electronic key, the available physical electronic key being provided to the user by a third party rather than a charging service provider serving the EV charging station;
• sending, by using the application, a user request to the charging service provider for linking the available physical electronic key to a user account pre-created in a database of user accounts resided on the charging service provider's side, the user account being characterized by a user ID, the user request comprising the station ID of the EV charging station, the user ID, the key ID of the available physical electronic key, and said linking comprises storing the key ID in the user account;
• and
• receiving, by using the application and from the charging service provider, a notification of user authorization or non-authorization for the EV charging sessions at the EV charging station based on whether the available physical electronic key has been linked to the user account.