A recently published study highlights the very recent development of charging infrastructure in France, particularly concerning the ultra-fast charging of electric cars. Rapid development, but with many, many different players.
If you are one of the “early adopters”, those people who switched to electric cars a few years ago, you have surely seen the charging landscape change over time. And probably more in the last two years than before! Indeed, we notice it when we travel, motorway service stations have all started to offer fast or ultra-fast charging points for electric cars, whereas just a few years ago, it was better to have well prepared your travel to make sure you come across it when you need it.
A new study published by Gireve, a digital platform intended for electric charging professionals, highlights the evolution of ultra-fast charging, otherwise called high-power charging, in France. And if it has rapidly increased, with many different players rushing into the sector, its reliability, however, is not the best.
Two levels of ultra-fast charging
While most electric car charging is done at home, 80 to 95% according to data, long journeys require the ability to charge regularly and quickly. This is how ultra-fast charging became widespread. As a reminder, we call “ultra-fast” charging that which allows you to refill your battery in 30 minutes, or less. That is, terminal powers ranging from 51 to 600 kW.
In this regard, two levels of ultra-fast charging must be differentiated: level 1, with an output power of between 50 and 150 kW, and level 2 which goes beyond 150 kW.
As the study points out, at the end of 2020, there were only a few ultra-fast charging points, mainly along major highways. And the vast majority are level 1. It is only from 2021, as we can see in the graph below, that level 2 terminals have multiplied, while 2022 marked a real turning point with a big acceleration in the deployment of all ultra-fast terminals. If France has multiplied these infrastructures by six in two years, in Germany, it has multiplied by four. But it started higher too.
Accuracy in relation to the graph: the level 1 drop in 2021 is due to the update of Tesla Superchargers, increased from 120 to 150 kW through an update. This is also reflected in the increase in level 2 terminals.
Many operators, and average reliability
Another point raised by the Gireve study, at the same time as the number of ultra-fast terminals has increased, it is the number of charging operators which has also multiplied. The graph below actually highlights that in 2020, the majority of these direct current terminals were marked with the Tesla and Ionity logos. And TotalEnergies in third position. In total at that time, 14 players shared the French network. At the end of 2023, we reached more than a hundred!
In reality, five major players share a little more than 50% of the pie (in order: Tesla, Powerdot, TotalEnergies, Lidl and Ionity). But for the rest, there are a lot of different operators, which has the effect of not making life easier for the motorist.
Last point raised, the reliability of ultra-fast terminals. For this it is the ratio of the number of hours during which the charging point was available, compared to the opening hours of the terminal. And if the result of 83% availability seems to be more or less stable over the last few years, we consider that it would have to exceed 95% for reliability to be sufficient. A study by Avere-France suggested a reliability of 76% a few weeks ago.
After the rapid growth in the number of ultra-fast charging stations and points, this is perhaps the next challenge to tackle to definitively attract more people to electric cars.
Remember that a car with a theoretical WLTP range of 400 km is entirely capable of crossing France quickly, as long as it can recharge quickly. We have also carried out a comparison of several electric cars on the Paris – Marseille route to give ourselves an idea.