French EV Plan Calls for 2 Million Cars, 4 Million Chargers by 2020
By John O'Dell October 1, 2009
Say goodbye to those storied noisy streets of Paris.
The French government today committed 1.5 billion euros ($2.2 billion) to a 10-year plan to help put 2 million electric cars on the road by 2020.
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Renault showed this Fluence ZE electric car concept at the recent Frankfurt Auto Show, vowed to have EVs on sale in France by 2012.
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The funds will help pay for manufacturer and buyer subsidies, a nationwide network of more than 4 million EV charging stations, and subsidies for battery manufacturing and industrial research.
It Takes a Nation
"No player can take the risk alone, but if all the actors take it at the same time, that works," France's Ecology Minister, Jean-Louis Borloo, said at a press conference in Paris today. He was accompanied by executives from French carmakers Renault and PSA Peugeot Citroen, both of which have pledged to begin selling electric vehicles in France by 2012.
Borloo said that the funding will help install a million EV charging points by 2015 - mainly in private residences but also in car parks and select locations on busy highway.
But beginning in 2012, the government will require all new apartment developments in the country to install charging stations to being the nationwide total to 4 million by 2020.
That's two per vehicle and an indication that France, which produces most of its electricity in nuclear power plants, expects the total number of EVs and plug-in hybrids to grow beyond the 2 million goal.
Ball is Rolling
Across the channel, the U.K. has committed 250 million pounds ($400.5 million) to low-carbon transportation.
In the U.S., Congress and the Obama administration have earmarked more than $25 billion for advance technology vehicle manufacturing support and billions more to foster EV battery manufacturing and subsidize purchase of plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles.
As more national efforts to promote EVs are launched, the pressure on automakers to develop and build the vehicles increases, and as more EVs are made, the price of components will start falling, resulting in lower sticker prices.
It's a lovely chain of events.
John O'Dell, Senior Editor
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