Taking your electric vehicle to France
Going on a road trip in your EV is one of the most sustainable ways to travel in France. Plus, you can charge up at either of our terminals!
Travelling on LeShuttle is one of the greenest ways to get to France. For the ultimate environmentally friendly road trip, why not take your electric car across the Channel?
It may seem challenging at first, as every country has different charging networks and has adapted to electric vehicles at different speeds. The EV charging network in France is growing at a significant rate, so planning EV routes in France is getting easier. The rewards are obvious. A long road trip in a petrol or diesel car has the potential to generate significant emissions in a foreign country. Driving an electric car is a far more sustainable – and no more expensive – way to enjoy everything France has to offer.
EV charging in France at a glance
| EV travel consideration | what uk drivers need to know |
|---|---|
| EV charger availability | • 170,000 public chargers (121,000 in the UK) • Greater density of public hubs, eg. supermarkets and service stations • Autoroutes well served • Some blank spots in rural regions, such as the Loire, Brittany and Aquitaine |
| Speed | • Fewer ultra rapid chargers in France than UK |
| Payment | • Apps and RFID cards most common way to pay • Fewer contactless options |
| Common connectors | • Type 2 • CCS2 • French 3-pin |
| Low emission zones | • In every major French city • Display Crit’ Air sticker |
| Toll benefits | • 5% discount for EV drivers |
Ultra rapid chargers are found at most motorway service stations in France
Planning an EV road trip to France
- Does France have enough EV charging stations?
- What are EV charging speeds like in France?
- How do I pay for EV charging in France?
These are the kind of questions you might have if you are planning an EV road trip to France.
It’s very important to spend time before you leave planning your journey. Find out the location of the public charging points on your route, how fast they charge, and how you pay. You may need to plan overnight stops on your route where you can charge overnight. But that is no bad thing, especially if you are on a long road trip through France.
Example of charging routes for an EV road trip in France
| route | distance | charging stops | main motorway | rapid charging availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calais to Paris | 180 miles | 1 stop | A1/A16 | Excellent. High-density hubs cover nearly every service area. |
| Paris to Lyon | 290 miles | 1 to 2 stops | A6 | Exceptional. One of France's primary ultra-fast charging routes |
| Lyon to Marseille | 195 miles | 1 stop | A7 | Excellent. Well served by rapid chargers, but coastal traffic creates queues at peak times. |
| Paris to Bordeaux | 360 miles | 2 stops | A10 | Very Good. Reliable ultra-rapid charging options well distributed |
| Calais to Saint-Malo | 315 miles | 1 to 2 stops | A28/A84 | Very Good. Strong ultra-rapid coverage around Rouen and Caen, sparser in Brittany. |
| Calais to Strasbourg | 390 miles | 2 stops | A26/A4 | Exceptional. Multi-charger hubs at almost all major rest stops. |
Travelling from the UK to France with an electric car
Our charging points cater for all types of EV and size of battery
Can I take an electric car on LeShuttle to France?
Yes, of course! You can also charge up at both terminals before your crossing.
Charging at LeShuttle terminals
Electric car drivers can take advantage of the charging points at both our Folkestone and Calais terminals. At both our Folkestone and Calais terminals, we have four 210 kW EVBox Modular ENGIE ultra-rapid chargers available, allowing you to charge your vehicle quickly and conveniently. You can fully charge your EV in 20-60 minutes, depending on your battery size and the type of charger. Enjoy a coffee in our terminal building while you wait, and start your EV French road trip with maximum range!
We have dedicated Tesla Superchargers at the terminal buildings on both sides of the Channel. We also have a number of 50 kW chargers at both terminals reserved for EV drivers with assistance needs.
Charging your electric vehicle in France
Finding EV chargers in France
Ultra rapid charging points on city streets are becoming a more familiar sight in France
There are around 170,000 EV charging points in France. The growth of the charging network in France is not as fast as that of the UK, which now has around 120,000 charging points. Some areas of the country are still less well covered than others.
Charging stations are mainly to be found at supermarkets, hotels, motorway service stations, retail parks and leisure attractions, like in the UK. The big cities are well served for charging stations, with plenty of on-street points in city streets.
If you are planning a journey, the best way to find charging points is to use an app or website like Chargemap. This map shows all the charging points in Europe, across all providers. You just need to register on Chargemap for free to see more details about the charging points, such as charging speed, connection types and status updates.
Paying for EV chargers in France
The system of payment for EV charging is more fragmented in France than it is in the UK. There are more restrictions on usage, with some providers only allowing drivers registered with their app or network to charge up.
To pay you will need an RFID card, key fob or app with one of these charge network providers, some of which will need to be pre-loaded with funds. Not many chargers in France will allow you to pay by credit or debit card. There are some cross-network apps such as Chargemap, PlugShare and Izivia that give drivers access to several different networks. You may need specific apps for certain regions to have greater access to chargers.
Look out for the signs indicating EV charging spaces
Overnight charging points in France
If you’re in no hurry to charge, there are plenty of 3 kW or 22 kW stations to be found at hotels or campsites. Increasingly you’ll also find EV charging points at aires, the overnight parking areas with basic facilities where you can park your campervan or motorhome. Plug in as soon as you park up and you will have a full battery by the next morning.
Charging at French motorway service stations
The French autoroute network is where you’ll find the greatest volume and choice of chargers. If you’re planning a long journey, try to make sure you’re passing a motorway service area at several points on the route. There are ultra-rapid chargers at every scheduled motorway services in France, so you will be able to charge up. You may find some patchy areas and quirks in the charging infrastructure, like charging stations only being on one side of the carriageway at motorway service stations. There might also be queues, especially at peak travelling times.
Driving an EV in France
French road rules and regulations
The rules for driving in France are the same for electric vehicles as petrol or diesel cars – you drive on the right and overtake on the left, and give way to traffic coming from the right. The speed limits range from 50 km/h for urban areas to 130 km/h for motorways. There are additional 30 km/h limits near schools, residential areas and in some historic areas of city centres. France has a countrywide network of motorway tolls, which have to be paid on most journeys that use autoroutes.
Low-emission zones and electric vehicles
There are emission zones in most major French cities, which place restrictions on certain types of environmentally polluting vehicles – but as EVs produce low or no emissions, electric cars will usually be able to access these urban areas at all times. You will still need to display a Crit’ Air sticker, however.
Some cities, like Paris, have introduced bans on all cars in specific areas on certain days. Read our guide to driving in Paris to find out more.
Charging speeds and connectors in France
France uses the same connector format as the UK – Type 2 connectors for standard 3-22 kW AC charging, and CCS2 connectors for fast and ultra rapid DC charging. Charging speeds are similar, too, with an 80% charge using an ultra rapid point taking 15-25 minutes.
Tips for driving an electric vehicle in France
Paying to charge up is usually done by phone app in France
- Keep your app topped up
As it is harder to pay at charging stations with credit or debit cards in France than it is in the UK, you need to make sure the app you use to charge is topped up with credit.
- Don’t take your range to the limit
If you’re an experienced EV driver you will know that your car’s range does not necessarily translate into driving distances. Try to find a suitable spot to charge up well within your range.
- Driving in cities will drain your battery
If you are driving in Paris or another big city, your range will be depleted quicker than on the motorway.
- Plan, plan, plan!
As we have already mentioned, you need to plan your route carefully, so you are always in range of a charging station compatible with your vehicle.
Book your EV-friendly trip with LeShuttle
Sustainability is very important to us at Le Shuttle, which is why we try to support electric car drivers as much as possible on their trips to France with us. Remember that you can charge up at our terminal before the 35-minute crossing from Folkestone to Calais, and on the return journey too.
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