Renault said that Mobilize, the company’s electric vehicle services unit, plans to build a network of electric vehicle charging stations on Europe’s highways. mobilize said the first station will be located in southern France and will open in a few months. Renault plans to build another 200 charging stations in France, Belgium, Italy and Spain by mid-2024.
In addition, the company is in advanced dialogue with potential partners that could finance the network.
Building sufficient charging infrastructure to facilitate long-distance travel for EV owners is one of the main challenges facing EV manufacturers today, as pure EVs have a smaller travel radius than fuel models and take longer to recharge compared to refueling.
Image credit: Renault
Renault’s shares have fallen close to 70% since 2018, leaving the company a relative laggard in the European electric car market. But the company is moving forward with plans to split its electric and internal combustion engine vehicle businesses, with the goal of competing with the likes of Tesla and German giant Volkswagen in the electric vehicle market.
The new charging stations will be installed at Renault dealerships located near highway exits with dedicated space for owners to rest while charging. The company said the average charging time will be about half an hour per vehicle. The charging stations will be open 24 hours a day and offer owners a rest room, children’s play area and refreshments.
Mobilize said that to avoid installing new grid infrastructure, they will use a stationary power storage system the size of a small container capable of charging six regular electric cars of any make at the same time, said Nicolas Schottey, head of Mobilize: “This will allow us to very consistently to charge these storage systems without interfering with the grid.”
