How do you find an electric car charging point?
Do you drive an electric car? For it to work, it needs to be charged. In France, there are several charging solutions available to you. Bear in mind that the country currently has
more than 70,000 electric charging stations
and that this number will increase further.
Are you wondering how to find an
electric car charging point?
Read all the available ways to find electric car charging stations below.
Use of the Bip&Go mobile app
With the Bip&Go mobile app, you can
easily find charging stations for your journeys. This service is completely free of charge
. Elle est disponible en téléchargement sur l’App Store et Google Play.
By pressing "Recharge" on the home screen, you can see local terminals and their availability. As electric charging stations have different ranges of power and different connectors, you can filter the search to find one that meet your needs.
In addition to locating charging stations for electric cars,
the Bip&Go app
provides many other useful services and features: the possibility to make reservations at
more than 1,300 car parks in Europe
, a
trip planner feature
, and electronic toll usage monitoring.
A terminal detection function in the car
Electric cars sold on the market generally have
a system that allows you to locate charging stations
. The function is most often part of the vehicle's navigation system. Be aware that while the connected services that integrate this function are offered free of charge in the beginning,
they do become chargeable from a certain point onwards.
The services included in the on-board system vary from one car model to another. Some vehicles offer functions such as the trip planner, while others are content with the location of charging stations. When the number of functions is limited,
using a mobile application
is more advantageous.
Electric charging station networks in France
Whether at regional or departmental level, you have access to several electric charging stations. Most often, charging networks are developed by local authorities. For example, here are some examples of unions that have established available networks:
-
• Paris Recharge ;
-
• Belib’ ;
-
• Syndicat d’énergie de la Seine-et-Marne ;
-
• Syndicat d’énergie du Morbihan ;
-
• Syndicat d’énergie de la Vendée.
You also have the Reveo network in the Occitanie region, MobiVE in the Nouvelle Aquitaine, and Eborn in the Alpine territories. These charging station networks go beyond departmental boundaries, allowing electric car users to charge anywhere.
Charging stations for long journeys
For your long journeys,
fast charging stations are available.
Generally, these terminals have a power output of up to 350 kW. They are therefore perfectly suited for quickly recharging batteries with a large capacity. However, fast charging stations are not always suitable for electric cars equipped with a low-capacity battery.
Here are some networks offering fast charging stations in France:
-
• Tesla Car Superchargers;
-
• IZIVIA's Corri-Door network;
-
• Ionity's very high-power network;
-
• The network of the Rhone national company.
Information you need to know about electric charging stations
To choose an electric charging station, you must take into account several factors:
-
• The number of available charging points;
-
• The connector type;
-
• Their working condition;
-
• The power of the terminal;
-
• The tariff.
This is important information, as it allows you
to check whether the charging station is suitable for your electric car
. Also note that as the rate varies from one network to another, this comparison allows you to
recharge your car at the best possible price.
You can find all this information directly
on the Bip&Go app.
.
Equipment needed to charge an electric car
Note that the majority of conventional terminals are equipped with a T2 connector. To connect your electric car to these, you normally have a cable delivered with your car when it was purchased. So, before you hit the road, don't forget to check that you have remembered it.
It may be that the type of connector varies from station to station. In motorway service areas, for example, fast charging stations work with CHADEMO or Combo CCS connectors. This type of connector is not suitable for your T2 cable. However, to recharge at these points, you do not need a cable. The latter is often already provided at the terminal.
Charging your electric car
Choose the charging station you want to use and check that its number corresponds to the one selected on the Bip&Go app. Click on "start charging" and connect your vehicle to the terminal. When charging is complete, click "stop charging". As soon as you receive confirmation from the app, you can unplug your vehicle and get back on the road!
How to pay at electric charging stations
If you have a Bip&Go subscription,
the cost of charging at the electric terminal will be on the same invoice.
You can find your charging history from your subscriber area on the app.
On some terminals, it is possible to pay by credit card. Remember to check that the charging station accepts this means of payment before starting the recharge.
