Sodetrel of EDF to expand charging network in Lyon

The network operating unit of Électricité de France (EDF), Sodetrel, will install more than 600 charging points for electric vehicles in France by 2020. The plan details their installation to cover 59 municipalities in the Lyon area with some to enable DC charging.

In concrete terms, Sodetrel of EDF aims to install 600 AC charging points with an output of 22 kW. Another 31 DC connectionsthat fast-charge electric cars with 50 to 150 kW are also to be created. They will be spread across the Lyon area and over the next two years will greatly expand the company’s network, which currently consists of 230 charging points.

The charging devices will be installed primarily in multi-storey car parks, shopping areas and to supply the electric car sharing service of Bolloré subsidiary Blue Solution called Bluely. The exact locations will be determined together with the municipalities. The Sodetrel card grants access as does the Pass Trabool, the region’s mobility offer.

Among others, the Fonds de Modernisation Ecologique des Transports (FMET), managed by Demeter, contributes to financing the expansion of the network. In addition, Sodetrel and Demeter will set up a company dedicated to coordinating the project.

“This exceptionally large project is in line with the city’s policy of improving air quality in particular,” said David Kimelfeld, President of the Lyon Metropolitan Region, commenting on the expansion of the network. In this sense, a pact has just been signed with the state to create a low-emission zone that will be implemented from January, 1, 2019.

Also Sodetrel’s parent company EDF recently announced its intention to operate a total of 75,000 charging stations in Europe by 2022 and stated that it was aiming for a market share of 30 percent in its core markets of France, Belgium, Italy and Great Britain by then.

avere-france.org (in French)