From the second quarter of 2023, charging stations for electric cars will be charged in the metropolis of Rouen

The charging stations for electric cars provided by the metropolis of Rouen for free will be charged in the second quarter of 2023. Metropolis justifies this measure by the need to fight against “sucking cars” and the increase in electricity prices. .

Free for eight years, charging stations for electric cars in the Rouen metropolitan area will become chargeable in the second quarter of 2023. The price decision adopted by the Rouen-Normandy metropolitan region and justified primarily by the problem of “responsible cars” is a “phenomenon.

“We have observed that the terminals provide vehicles 5% of the time, but the latter are closed 60%. Therefore, people park 12 times more than they need, especially in the most strategic places, towards the station and rue Jeanne. d’Arc”, Cyrille Moreau, Metropolis’ vice president responsible for transport, future mobility and active travel modes, explains.

The problem was seen by users like Naomi. This 31-year-old English teacher bought an electric car in 2020. “I think it’s fine that it’s a charge because there’s a lot of cars parked there for a long time. So if it can discourage people from doing that and free up more terminals, that would be good.”he believes.

“It’s been a disaster to find a terminal for six months, there’s never any space. Many company cars and driving schools are loaded into the terminals”in turn, notes that Arthur, a sales representative of La Poste, who has rented an electric car since 2021. But for this 26-year-old Rouennais, the metropolis has given a reason to charge for this service. “fake excuse”.

According to him, the real reason should be sought more in the increase in the price of energy. This is also the second argument of the metropolis. “We used to have 200,000 euros in energy bills compared to a million last year. If we just increase the supply, the bills will go crazy. We can’t keep giving electricity for free, especially if we pay so much for it.”Cyrille Moreau justifies.

The price list, which will come into force in the second quarter of 2023, can be found below and on the website of the metropolis. It will be changed every year. Prices depend on several parameters: whether it is connected to the MOBI (charging network), the power of the terminal and the time when the user charges his car.

Arthur has done his calculations and doesn’t think it’s excessive. “Obviously, each full charge will cost me 8 euros. To whom I need €32 for one refill a week, which seems fair to me.”

Naomi does not see these prices as an additional cost. “We’ve been very lucky to have free payments for so long. It’s normal for it to be paid, it won’t be as high as in Paris.”he observes.

There are these terminals “troubleshooting function”, insists Cyrille Moreau, who believes that users will not give up electricity because of this switch to payment. But Arthur uses them as his main terminal because he doesn’t have a garage. “I think it’s only fair that we pay a little for our travels. I want to, but then I always have to have a terminal.”he notes.

We have set ourselves a goal of 200 charging stations [d’ici 2026, ndlr] and we will improve the quality.

Cyrille Moreau, Metropolis Vice President of Mobility

The lease for his electric car expires in a year and the young man has no intention of renewing it. “A hassle when it’s free, okay, but a hassle when it’s paid for, no. I’ll go back to the thermal.”

There are currently around 70 charging stations in the Rouen metropolitan area. But considering the recent times “explosion in the number of electric cars” – 6138 in Seine-Maritime, including 3186 in the metropolis of Rouen in 2021 according to official figures – the lack of terminals is obvious. “We have set ourselves a goal of 200 charging stations [d’ici 2026, ndlr] and we will improve the quality”Cyrille Moreau promises.