07/28/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/28/2022 03:06
The APRR motorways inaugurate for users of electric vehicles a new Very High Power electric charging station (VHP) operated by TotalEnergies. Located on the A6 in the Mâcon La Salle area, it is accessible in the Lyon-Paris direction. It foreshadows the major charging hubs to come by being equipped with 16 charging points and offering up to 300 km of autonomy during a break.
Committed for 10 years to a plan to deploy multi-operator charging points at service areas, the APRR motorway network and its Rhône-Alpes subsidiary AREA are stepping up their lead with a networked offer that is among the fastest on the market. 100% of its service areas will be equipped with electric charging stations by the end of the year.
The share of electric vehicles continues to increase in France and now represents more than 15% of car sales, compared to 1.2% in 2017. Last year 162,000 electric vehicles were sold in France, which represents an increase of 46% compared to 2020 (1). 786,274 electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles were circulating in France (2) at the end of 2021. A phenomenon that should increase further with the end of the sale of thermal cars in 2035 in Europe. The "France 2030" industrial plan, which provides for the production of 2 million French electric and hybrid vehicles by 2030.
As a result, there is an urgent need to deploy more terminals on motorways to meet the demand from drivers to make long-distance trips in "electric". This is why APRR is increasing the installation of charging points on its networks, with on average the opening of new equipment every 15 days.
"While sales of electric vehicles are soaring, charging time still remains an obstacle for many motorists. We are accelerating the implementation of ever more efficient technologies on our networks to allow users to consider long-distance travel with peace of mind. The time of a break on our service areas will allow an almost complete load of a vehicle. It's a small revolution and one more step towards a carbon-free motorway," says Guillaume Hérent, CEO of APRR and AREA.
This new TotalEnergies station has 16 charging points, making it one of the best equipped to date. 14 Very High Power (VHP) charging stations delivering up to 175 kW and 2 High Power (HP) charging stations delivering up to 50 kW.
It has CCS Combo connectors on the 14 THP terminals and T2, CHAdeMO and CCS Combo connectors on the 2 HP terminals. This offer therefore makes it possible to cover the needs of sixteen vehicles simultaneously.
This station, which is largely equipped with charging points, foreshadows the major charging hubs to come. It offers a very large layout facilitating access to charging points with all TotalEnergies services, internet access on site, card accompanying daily life and the needs of professionals (washing, toll, parking, etc.).