e-Vadea: A new network of rapid charging stations arrives in France

The first charging stations will be put into service at highway rest areas by the end of the year.

The electric vehicle charging market is attracting an increasing number of companies. This time, it’s SPIE CityNetworks, a French subsidiary of the European group SPIE, that announces the creation of a new network of charging stations across France.

Led in partnership with the Ecological Transport Modernization Fund, the project will initially result in the installation of 13 stations by the end of the year. They will be located on highways “running from the Northeast of the territory to Bordeaux and Monaco, on the APRR and VINCI Autoroutes networks”. Each station will feature up to 12 charging points and will be capable of delivering 300 kW of DC power. In theory, it would thus be possible to recover up to 300 km of range in 20 minutes, according to SPIE.

The reliability of the installations emphasized

This new network, named e-Vadea, does not require a special subscription. Payment can be made via bank card or using a badge. Prices have not yet been announced.

While many users complain about stations sometimes being out of service, SPIE promises significant improvements in reliability. The company also claims to have high standards for equipment maintenance. Maintenance operations and station operation will be managed internally.

The fast-charging network on highways is expanding significantly. Ionity, Fastned, and Total Energies have captured a large share of the market. The stations from Ionity and Fastned can also deliver up to 300 kW of power (or even 350 for Ionity), but as of now, no electric vehicle can handle such charging speeds.

Read also: Vinci Autoroutes launches a pass compatible with all charging stations