Why waiting times to charge electric cars in France are increasing
Charging queues are growing as 2026 sees a strong start in sales of electric vehicles
France has some 192,000 publicly accessible vehicle charging points
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Waiting times are increasing as electric vehicles become more popular, with ever greater numbers of drivers using them.
France has 192,000 publicly accessible charging points, making it one of the best-equipped countries in this respect.
However, in the first four months of 2026 electric vehicle sales in France increased by some 48% compared to the same period in 2025 according to La Plateforme automobile and, as more drivers switch to electric vehicles, demand for charging has increased significantly. This is exacerbated by the fact that charging points are not evenly distributed or always suitable for everyday use.
Although there are many stations in cities, some are slow-charging which can make them less practical for drivers under any time pressure. They can also be relatively expensive.
Waiting times are also longer during periods of heavy traffic, so during weekends and holiday periods.
Managing congestion at charging stations
In order to address potential congestion, Tesla is introducing a virtual queuing system at its charging stations.
Through this feature, if a driver arrives at an occupied charging station, the Tesla app informs them of their position in the queue and their estimated waiting time.
If a charging station is available immediate access is granted.
However the feature is only available to Tesla drivers.
Tips for avoiding long waits at charging stations
Motorway operator APRR details its best practices for charging an electric vehicle to accommodate as many drivers as possible:
Park your vehicle near the charging point and connect it straight away.
Charge your vehicle to 80% (Note: the charging time from 80% to 100% is the same as from 20% to 80%).
Limit your charging session to 30 minutes.
Free up the charging space as soon as you have finished to allow other motorists to use the station.
Planning ahead can also make a difference. Using navigation apps or in-car systems to check charger availability before arriving can help drivers avoid already crowded stations and find alternatives.
In some cases detouring slightly off a motorway can save time compared to waiting at heavily used service stations.
Finally, maintaining a reasonable battery buffer rather than running the battery to low levels can give drivers more flexibility to bypass crowded locations and continue to the next available charging point if needed.
