Contents8 sections
"12,000 stations in 10 European countries" — figures like this sound like a marketing claim, but at their core they are sober logistics. Behind an acceptance network lie technical connections, roaming contracts and an operational model that you should understand before you commit to a solution. So what goes on in the background, and what does it mean for your fleet?
What technically defines an acceptance network
A "network" in the mobility sense is not a geographical collection of fuel stations, but a collection of technically connected stations. For a fuel app or a fuel card to work at a particular pump, three things have to come together:
- The fuel station must be connected to the backend. The pump controller sends the consumption data (litres, fuel type, amount) for each refuelling to a central backend operated by the mobility provider.
- The payment must be authorised. Before the pump is released, the backend has to check and approve the payment against the card on file or the fuel card provider.
- The receipt must flow back. After refuelling, the backend sends the final, structured receipt to the driver's app and to the fleet manager's dashboard.
Sounds simple. In reality, it means: every fuel station must either have a modern pump controller system that supports the connection, or be retrofitted via an adapter. That is why networks don't grow overnight.
How providers build their networks: the platform model
Hardly any provider builds its network entirely on its own. In mobile payment at the pump, a platform model has established itself instead: the fuel station connects its point-of-sale system to a connected-fuelling platform once, and through this single connection several apps and card issuers can then pay at the station. One example is the PACE platform: it is designed to be provider-neutral and is open to oil companies, fuel station operators and fuel card issuers.
The principle is similar to roaming in mobile telephony: the station maintains a technical relationship with the platform, the platform brokers authorisation and receipt between the station and the respective app, and the end customer notices none of it.
For you as a fleet operator, one consequence matters: the data quality per refuelling depends on the station's technical connection. Stations with a modern connection deliver structured data (exact fuel type, VAT breakdown), while with older connections sometimes only the minimum data comes through.
Why DKV InstantFuel relies on the PACE Mobility network
With DKV InstantFuel there is an important clarification: the acceptance network of this app is not identical to the network of the classic DKV fuel card. DKV InstantFuel uses the PACE Mobility network, a platform that has been connecting fuel stations for mobile payment for years. Currently that means around 12,000 stations in ten European countries.
Why this separation? The classic DKV fuel card has historically worked with its own contracts with fuel station chains and a network specifically designed for large fleets. In parallel, PACE Mobility has built a technically more modern network geared towards app-based payment. The two networks overlap, but they are not congruent. So if you switch from one solution to the other, check the coverage for your relevant region beforehand.
How to check your regular fuel stations
Before you seriously deploy a fuel app, you should check specifically: are the fuel stations where your drivers refuel regularly part of the network? Three pragmatic approaches:
- The provider's map tool. Most providers have an online map showing all connected stations. With DKV InstantFuel you can find it in the live map; your drivers can additionally filter by fuel type in the map within the app. Check your routes.
- Export an address list. List the top 10 fuel stations from your current receipts and compare them with the provider's map. If 8 out of 10 are included, good coverage. If only 3, be cautious.
- Pilot phase. A two-week pilot with one or two drivers quickly shows whether the app works day to day on the specific routes. Real-time data beats any map preview.
What happens outside the network?
An important question that is often asked too late: what if the driver has to refuel at a station that isn't connected?
With an app-based solution like DKV InstantFuel, the rule is: the app only accepts the stations in the network. At other stations the driver pays with a different means of payment (e.g. a private card), completely outside the app and dashboard; the receipt then has to be recorded and submitted manually. In everyday use this is rarely an issue, because coverage in the DACH region is good, but it can happen when travelling off the main routes.
With a classic fuel card the problem is somewhat different: the card only works at stations that have an agreement with the fuel card provider. At other stations, again private or backup payment. Both models have similar limits here; the difference is which fuel stations are included in each case.
The pragmatic advice: equip drivers with a clear backup workflow. A private card or cash for emergencies, keep the receipt and book it as usual — no drama, but firmly regulated.
What makes for good acceptance network coverage
When you compare providers, it's not just the total figures that matter, but the quality:
- Geographical distribution. 12,000 stations in the DACH region are better than 30,000 worldwide if you only drive in DACH.
- Brand diversity. Is it only one or two fuel station chains? Or are Aral, Shell, Esso, OMV, Avia, JET, Total and independent stations represented in a similar mix?
- Data quality per refuelling. Do you get the VAT breakdown, fuel type and station address in structured form? Or just a final amount?
- Growth rate. A network that grows by a few hundred stations per quarter is healthier than one that has been constant for years.
In short
An acceptance network is infrastructure, not a product promise, and it's worth looking behind the marketing figure once. What counts is not the total sum, but the coverage exactly where your fleet refuels. With half an hour of research (map tool plus receipt comparison) you'll settle the question more reliably than any provider presentation can.
Frequently asked questions about the acceptance network
At which fuel stations can I refuel with DKV InstantFuel?
At approx. 12,000 technically connected stations in 10 European countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Italy, Poland, Denmark). The brands represented include JET, Esso, AVIA, HEM, Q1, OMV, Hoyer, bft, Classic, OIL!, Tamoil and tankpool24. The reliable source is the live map, which shows every integrated station updated daily.
Is the DKV InstantFuel network the same as the acceptance network of the classic DKV fuel card?
No. The classic DKV fuel card is accepted at around 70,000 fuel stations across Europe. DKV InstantFuel uses the PACE Mobility network for mobile payment (approx. 12,000 stations). Both are DKV products with different infrastructure — details in the network comparison.
How do I check whether my area is covered before activation?
Open the live map and check your three to five most-used fuel stations (depot, regular routes, drivers' home locations). This half-hour comparison is more meaningful than any total figure.
Is the acceptance network growing?
Yes, continuously — new technically connected stations are added on an ongoing basis. The live map always reflects the current state.
Further reading:
- Fuel Cards 2026: The Complete Guide, all models and selection criteria
Sources:
- PACE Connected Fueling, provider-neutral platform: pace.cloud
- Telematik-Markt: CLASSIC fuel station network joins Connected Fueling (POS system integration): telematik-markt.de
- DKV Mobility, fuel station acceptance: dkv-mobility.com