The French electric fleet was estimated in July 2022 at 620,000 vehicles, or barely 1.5% of the rolling stock.
( AFP / PATRICK MEINHARDT )
The electric car can only be less polluting than a gasoline model if it remains light and has a battery of “reasonable capacity” – therefore a limited autonomy -, underlines Wednesday October 12 the Ecological Transition Agency (Ademe) in a “notice”.
Over its entire lifespan, an electric car driving in France has a carbon impact 2 to 3 times lower than that of a similar thermal model,
provided that its battery is less than 60 kWh
either the equivalent of a Peugeot e208 or a Renault Mégane at most,
with ranges of around 400 kilometres.
With a larger, much heavier battery, “the environmental interest is not guaranteed”, explains the agency. It is therefore advisable to choose a battery suitable for the majority use of the vehicle (typically daily home-work), by selecting a vehicle model that is as small and light as possible.
To really reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we must first “re-examine the place of the automobile in our travels”, underlines Ademe, either reducing the distances traveled for work or leisure, and
prefer walking, cycling, public transport, carpooling, or car sharing.
If you have no choice but to use the car, driving electric is also cheaper, according to the agency’s calculations.
Electricity cheaper over time
Over its lifetime, the full cost of an electric vehicle purchased new, equipped with a battery of around 60 kWh, is lower than that of a comparable thermal vehicle “as of today”, despite a cost higher than procurement.
Traveling 300 kilometers costs around 10 euros per hour
current with a home charge, and 40 euros in fast charge (for around 30 euros with a heat engine). The calculation is unfavorable to more powerful electric cars, sedans, sports cars or SUVs, which consume more.
And it is better not to count immediately on a drop in the cost of batteries which would lead to a drop in concession prices: it should be delayed by the current increase in the price of raw materials, specifies Ademe.
The proliferation of smaller, fuel-efficient and affordable vehicles should facilitate motorists’ transition to electric, with the parallel development of a second-hand offer. The French electric fleet was estimated in July 2022 at 620,000 vehicles, or barely 1.5% of the rolling stock.
It is also necessary to continue to deploy charging stations
(less than 67,000 points open to the public at the end of July, with a 49% increase in one year)
. However, preference should be given to the installation of low and medium power terminals, and to recharge rather at night, so as not to ask too much of the electrical network.