Charging station availability drops in September

The availability rates of public electric vehicle charging stations in France were very low in September, according to a recent report by Avere, raising concerns about the reliability of the charging network.

Charging points increase but fall short of goals

France surpassed 200,000 public charging points in July, reaching 200,045 by July 31. By September 30, the number had grown to 202,804, adding 2,759 points in two months. However, the country aims to have 400,000 such points by 2030, requiring at least 20,000 new points every six months.

Electric vehicle adoption outpaces infrastructure growth

The number of electric vehicles on French roads is increasing rapidly, partly due to rising fuel prices. In September, 40 percent of vehicles sold were electric, and charging stations saw an average of 32.7 sessions per month, up from 25.2 a year earlier.

Availability rates lag behind previous years

In September, 89.9 percent of alternating current (AC) charging points were available, and 85.2 percent of direct current (DC) points up to 150 kW. These figures were significantly higher in September 2025, at 92.0 percent, 92.2 percent, and 95.7 percent respectively.

Reliability concerns and rising cable thefts

Charging points have been unavailable for more than seven consecutive days in 9 percent of cases, and only 63 percent of stations were available 99 percent of the time in September, down from 69 percent a year ago. A growing problem of cable thefts, where thieves cut cables to steal copper, is contributing to these issues.