With summer holidays looming, European owners of electric vehicles might be wondering whether to risk taking their vehicles for long journeys. Agence France-Presse (AFP) investigated the pitfalls and joys of long-distance emissions-free motoring.
While fully electric vehicles have proved themselves in urban areas, winning fans for their ease of use and low emissions, many owners still suffer from “range anxiety” when it comes to long trips cross-country or on motorways.
The latest batteries, even on new models, still require regular recharges, and the infrastructure remains patchy in many areas.
An AFP team set out on a return trip from Paris to Namur, south of Brussels, a distance of 900km, in a Citroen e-C4, a mid-range compact car with SUV styling that advertises a fully charged range of 350km.
Armed with the ChargeMap app for locating charging stations, the team set off from central Paris in typically heavy traffic.
At slow speeds and in stop-start movements, most electric vehicles can drive for hours, and the e-C4 was no different.
However, once out on the highway, the battery dipped quickly. Its displayed range of 250km fell to less than 100km in less time than it takes to cover such a distance.
Just how far the range stretches can depend on the model of vehicle and the outside temperature, meaning careful planning is needed for winter trips.
And the e-C4 does not feature the fast charging of more expensive models, meaning longer stops can be required.
However, topping up the battery to 80 percent — the final 20 percent takes longer — cost only about 10 euros (US$10.75) at a service station near Verdun, near the borders with Belgium and Luxembourg.
European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association said that about 6.8 million chargers are needed across the EU — or 14,000 installations per week — for the bloc to achieve its 2030 climate goal of reducing vehicle carbon dioxide emissions by 55 percent. Only 300,000 slow chargers and 50,000 fast ones were installed last year.
Apps tested by AFP were mostly up to date with charger locations and any charger accepts payments by bank card — although subscribers to a particular charging network can score better rates.
Leaving the highway and entering regional routes, the car’s thirst for power fell, and the many chargers offered at town halls, auto dealerships and supermarkets soothed range anxiety.
At one Lidl supermarket, 52-year-old Emmanuel Verpoort was filling up his large Polestar car.
“I’ve already been to the Alps, and at the end of June we’re heading to the Cote d’Azur” in southern France, he said, predicting the trip would cost 22 euros in power.
“There’ll probably be a lot of people on the roads in the summertime, but I’m not worried,” he said.
As a buyer, “you have to pick a car with adequate range and that recharges quickly.”
On the approach to Brussels, it was time to find somewhere to stay that offered recharging so as to set off at 100 percent the next day.
For now, that is restricted to higher-end hotels, many with Tesla stations, or a few Airbnb listings.
On the way back, Dutch travelers were topping up before entering France, which has a poor reputation compared with the Netherlands’ dense charging network.
“The problem is that between Belgium and Spain, there’s France,” said 55-year-old Frank Berg, who was heading south with his wife.
However, Cecile Goubet of French electric motoring organization Avere said “our efforts are starting to pay off.”
She said that under a government decree, all motorway rest stops must offer recharging by the end of this year.
For now, long trips can be hobbled by problems. Some chargers on the approach to Paris were closed or unable to offer fast charging, leaving motorists lining up for a drip feed of power.
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