Two thousand ultra-fast charging stations will pop up in the parking lots of French McDonald’s restaurants by 2025 (AFP / DENIS CHARLET)
Two thousand ultra-fast charging stations will pop up in the parking lots of French McDonald’s restaurants by 2025 at the initiative of Izivia, the EDF subsidiary dedicated to electric cars, the two partners announced on Tuesday.
Unlike several hotel or hypermarket chains, which have installed slow terminals, the fast food giant will offer rapid charging on 150 kilowatt terminals on almost half of its French sites, or 700 car parks.
These terminals make it possible to recharge the most efficient electric vehicles to 80% of their autonomy in 20 minutes, “time to take a coffee break or to eat”, underline McDonald’s, Izivia and the Crédit Mutuel Siloé fund in a press release, who co-finances the operation.
The price will be “attractive” and payment can be made by bank card, with the badges of different operators or via a QR code.
According to Christelle Vives, general manager of Izivia, the company confirms with this network “its ambition to occupy a leading position in fast charging, for the benefit of all electromobilists, not only in large metropolises, but by guaranteeing coverage of the entire territory.
With more than 110,000 public terminals installed, a four-fold increase in four years, France has started to catch up on its equipment, according to the Avere barometer, which brings together manufacturers in the sector.
But only 10% of French terminals are fast charging (more than 150 kW), mainly on motorway service areas, even though these devices are considered essential to convince motorists to give up the thermal engine.
McDonald’s has already started to equip its parking lots with charging stations in many other countries such as Italy, the United Kingdom and Sweden.