The electrification of transport in France is accelerating, but behind the promising figures lies a more nuanced reality: the often laborious quest to find available charging points. According to the January 2024 barometer of Avere-France, the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Gireve, France has 120,354 public charging points.
Despite an impressive growth of 41% in one year and an average of 179 points per 100,000 inhabitants, electric car drivers are facing an unexpected challenge: an average availability that does not exceed 81%.
Very disparate prices and availabilities
This situation raises questions about the adequacy between the supply and the growing demand for electric mobility. The document reveals that, despite efforts to increase the number of charging points, real-time accessibility does not necessarily follow, causing frustration and apprehension for drivers.
The average price of the charge, although seemingly modest at 34 euro cents for AC power and 35 for DC, hides a larger disparity of costs and user experiences depending on the regions and networks.
If electric is on everyone’s lips, with the recent advent of the Renault Scenic e-Tech as the car of the year 2024, the reality on the ground still leaves much to be desired.
The indifference of operators
Imagine for a moment that petrol stations for thermal vehicles were displaying an unavailability rate of 19%. There would be a general uproar, criticisms would be flying from all corners against such a failure in this essential service for mobility. Yet, in the world of electromobility, this situation seems to be met with surprising resignation.
French operators, guarantors of access to charging infrastructures, seem to be navigating through this storm with surprising indifference, leaving electric vehicle users at the mercy of a sometimes unpredictable network.
This dichotomy between service expectations for thermal and electric vehicles raises fundamental questions about our collective commitment to energy transition.
A precious tool that supports where it hurts
This barometer, while being a valuable tool for monitoring the evolution of the charging infrastructure in France, highlights the urgency of developing not only more charging points but also solutions to improve their availability and management.
The stakes are high to effectively support the electric shift and ensure a smooth and equitable energy transition for all the French.
Behind the undeniable progress of the deployment of charging infrastructure, hides the challenges of accessibility and reliability. A call is therefore made to sector actors to intensify their efforts, not only in quantity but also in the quality of charging services, so that electric mobility can fulfill all its promises of ease and sustainability.