France has announced a nationwide plan to significantly expand electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, targeting around 30,000 charging points across major highways and national roads by 2035, according to the Ministry of Transport.
The strategy is aimed at supporting the rapid growth of electric mobility and ensuring reliable long-distance travel as EV adoption increases across the country.
Although France’s national road network accounts for only about 2% of total road length, it handles nearly one-third of total traffic and most long-distance journeys. The government said upgrading these corridors with high-power chargers is essential to support both private EV users and commercial transport.
Large-scale charging expansion planned
Under the roadmap, France plans to deploy:
- Around 22,000 fast-charging points for light vehicles (about 150 kW capacity) across nearly 900 service areas
- Around 8,000 charging points for heavy-duty vehicles across approximately 560 locations
This would represent a major expansion compared to the current infrastructure, which includes about 4,500 chargers across more than 420 sites.
Push for electric freight network
The plan also includes France’s first large-scale charging network dedicated to electric trucks, aimed at decarbonising road freight, which accounts for nearly 90% of goods transport in the country.
Standardised charging rules
To improve user experience, the strategy will enforce:
- Interoperability between charging networks
- Transparent pricing per kilowatt-hour
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Mandatory bank card payment at all stations
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