Electric cars: charging at French motorway services ‘too expensive’
Cost can sometimes exceed the price of fuel for the same journey. Motorway operators’ profits on chargers are far higher than for other services and goods
Some ultra-fast charging ports at motorway stops can see drivers set off again within 30 minutes… but this comes at a premium
apiguide / Shutterstock
The cost of charging an electric car at motorway service stations in France is too high, the French regulation authority has said, and may deter people from switching to electric vehicles.
The high fees are largely due to the excessive cuts taken by motorway operators from overall charging costs, said the Autorité de régulation des transports (ART).
It is so expensive that charging costs can sometimes exceed the price of fuel covering the same journey on a stretch of motorway.
In 2022 (the latest figures used by the ART), it cost at least €10 per 100 km to drive an electric car along French motorways, and could reach up to €25, if you charged your car at a service station.
In comparison, in the same year it cost €13 per 100 km on average when using petrol.
Motorway operators take too much money from charging ports
The authority criticised contracts that allow motorway operators to take a high portion of money from charging ports.
Generally, service stations take around 4% of the price consumers pay for goods and services bought in a service station (such as a coffee, food, books, or petrol) as part of contractual agreements with providers.
However, up to 18% of the money an electric car owner pays to charge their vehicle at a motorway stop is directly pocketed by route owners – over four times as much as usual.
This in turn leads to the companies that operate the charging ports to raise their prices – subsequently passed onto drivers – to compensate for this loss of income.
The ART is therefore calling for contracts between charging port operators and motorway companies to align more closely with those for traditional goods and services.
It recommends contracts which see motorway operators taking a 5% cut of money paid at charging ports.
This could see charging fees fall for as much as 10%, whilst still allowing companies installing the ports to maintain the same level of profits as with current prices.
Read more: Can I install an electric charging point at our flat in France?
Electric vehicles are spurring positive change
The authority did concede, however, that higher prices were partly due to the high upfront cost of installing electric charging ports and connecting them to the national grid.
It also highlighted that chargers on motorways are ultra-fast compared to those people can install at home, providing significant charges in around 30 minutes to prevent backlogs and long waiting times.
In addition, more and more charging ports are being installed to help with demand, showing the switch to electric vehicles is progressing in France.
Nearly 130,000 charging ports for electric vehicles were recorded in France in April 2024.
Motorway stops themselves are now looking at changing the experience for drivers, encouraging them to stay longer as they charge vehicles.
Read more: How French motorway service stations are changing (for the better)
