Good news for electric car owners in France as thousands more charging stations to be installed
MPs recently rejected plans to bring forward ban on petrol vehicles
The ports will be installed in 350 car parks across France
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Three major retailers in France are planning to install 5,000 electric car charging ports in their car parks.
Supermarket Auchan, DIY store Leroy Merlin and sports retailer Decathlon, all managed by the Mulliez group, will install the stations at 350 car parks across France in collaboration with Volitalia.
Three levels of charge will be available:
Slow charging (11 kW) for €0.26/kWh
Fast charging (22-50 kW) for €0.39/kWh
Ultra-fast charging (up to 100 kW) for €0.49/kWh
The ports will belong to a new brand dubbed ‘Le Plein’ – members signed up to the service receive a discount of 10% on prices as well as other benefits.
Read more: Are French bank cards required at electric vehicle charging stations?
All of the ports will be completed by 2028, with installation beginning this year.
Read more: Tips for electric car drivers on where to charge in France for least cost
Read more: How many electric vehicle charging ports are in France and where?
A recent law change means all public car parks in France with more than 20 spaces will eventually need at least one electric car charging station, as the country looks to move towards electric vehicles.
More electric cars on French roads?
French MPs however recently voted against a plan to bring the scheduled ban on the sale of combustion engine vehicles – currently set for 2040 – forward to 2035.
This would have brought French law in line with the currently-planned deadline from the EU, however MPs voiced their concerns over the high-cost of electric vehicles.
Recent data shows that the number of people purchasing solely combustion (petrol and diesel engine) vehicles in France is falling, but many people are opting to buy hybrid vehicles as opposed to purely electric cars.
Read more: CHART: Fewer petrol cars being bought in France in 2024
Certain bonuses previously available to help fund the purchase of an electric vehicle were recently scrapped.
Read more: Which grants exist in France in 2025 to help buy an electric car?
