It was a big promise from the government, and we even told you about it: from the end of the first quarter of 2023, all motorway service areas were to be equipped with fast charging stations. An investigation by the French Electricity Union has set the record straight: we are still not there, and certain motorways are also a long way from it. We take stock.
It was February 20, 2023 and Clément Beaune, Minister of Transport, was clear: by the end of March, all motorway service areas in France will be equipped with fast charging terminals. A promise that seemed to be kept, since an announcement from ASFA (Association of French Highway Companies) last June proved to us that 99% of concessioned motorway service areas actually had a charging station. fast — we even told you about it.
Patatras, arrives the French Electricity Union (UFE) which shows us a small, clear map: as of November 1, not only have few motorways reached the promised 100%, but several of them remain below 50%. What happened ?
Some small arrangements
Reading the fine print is always important. Thus, when we look at the ASFA study in June, two essential notions must be taken into account: firstly, only concessioned motorways (paying, therefore) are counted; secondly, the notion of a rapid terminal should be taken with a pinch of salt.
For this study, ASFA based itself on the legal definition of a charging station as defined by Decree 2017-26. And decree 2017-26 is clear: a charging point is said to be “rapid” as soon as it exceeds a power of 22 kW. However, the UFE only counts terminals from 50 kW, and this on all motorways, whether licensed or not!
A few bad students, but a good group
Let’s not over-dramatize: overall, French motorways are doing well. Only a few of them are lagging behind, such as the A28 linking Abbeville to Tours and which only has one area equipped with charging stations along its 405 km! Several, conversely, can achieve the magic score of 100%, such as the A6 or the A64. The UFE interactive map is available by clicking here.
Another indicator is also highlighted in the document: out of 346 service areas covered in France with fast terminals, only nine of them have a power of less than 150 kW. In other words, the vast majority exceed 150 kW, and some even reach 350 kW. Enough to promise, in the vast majority of cases, recharges of around 30 minutes (or even 18 minutes for the fastest) to refuel.
A 100% generalized by the end of the year?
Other encouraging signals are also visible: for example, the number of terminals on motorways increased from 1,840 on January 1, 2023 to 3,511 eleven months later, an increase of 48%. Note also that, although France has a total of 369 service areas on licensed motorways, only 17 of them are not yet equipped. An easily catchable delay, therefore; Couldn’t we ask for this as a Christmas present?