In collaboration with the E-Totem service, the Montpellier Metropolis has decided to offer free charging of electric cars to residents of 31 municipalities in its community. A pioneering initiative in France.
Do you drive electric and don’t really know where to move in 2024? Perhaps you will want to head to the Occitanie and Montpellier region, and become one with the sun, but not only that! Elected officials from the Montpellier metropolis approved, on December 19, 2023, free charging of electric cars and bicycles for residents, in tandem with free public transport.
The administration plans to install hundreds of terminals, in partnership with the specialized French player E-Totem. But be careful, unless you fight in front of the stations, which is strongly discouraged, you will have to play with the power!
More than 600 terminals, with power ranging from 3 kW to 150 kW
This rather bold decision by the Montpellier Metropolis stems from the desire to promote soft mobility and decarbonization. Julie Frêche, vice-president of the community and delegate for Transport and Active Mobility, underlined her community’s commitment to electric charging. For her, free travel supports initiatives for more environmentally friendly mobility. How will the latter materialize?
The E-Totem company will be the city’s preferred partner. It will deploy 600 electric charging stations across the metropolitan area, with the first installations planned for this summer. There will be 125 fast charging stations, 127 on demand, to which we must add 100 charging points for electric bicycles. The fast charging stations will also be distributed across 31 municipalities in the region.
In detail, the charging stations will be available in two categories: E-City (from 7.4 to 22 kW) and E-Fast (50 kW and 100-150 kW), therefore with varied power levels. The M’Ticket application will allow residents to benefit from free charging when they are in eco mode, with power limited to 3 kW. It’s still better than nothing.
To have more power and recharge your electric vehicle faster, you will have to pay
The more residents want high power and low charging time, the more they will have to pay, naturally. Besides free charging, if you are local for example, you will have to count on a charge of 5 euros, for a power between 7.4 and 22 kW, which is already cheaper than the national rate of 11, 25 euros. On the other hand, faster charging at 50 kW will cost 8.75 euros using the M’Ticket application. Without it, the price will already be higher: 15 euros.
This initiative allows Montpellier to align itself with the path of energy transition and position the city as a model for the adoption of electric vehicles. Free charging in “eco mode” may encourage residents to opt for more environmentally friendly mobility solutions, while maintaining competitive rates for faster charging and larger and more pressing needs.
Source : Actu.fr
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