SPIE builds new HPC network e-Vadea in France
In France, e-Vadea has become a new operator of HPC parks. The company has now put eight charging parks into operation at motorway service stations in France following a tender won by the motorway operator Autoroutes Paris-Rhin-Rhône (APRR) in spring 2022.
The new HPC network is backed by SPIE CityNetworks, a French subsidiary of the SPIE Group, and the Ecological Transport Modernisation Fund (FMET) managed by Demeter. The first eight HPC charging parks are located on motorways in the eastern part of the country and are equipped with five to twelve charging points, depending on the location, each providing up to 300 kW of power. In addition to CCS, the new operator also relies on CHAdeMo and Type 2 connections. Billing will be possible by bank or charging card.
The e-Vadea network was already announced in the summer. At the time, it was said that by the end of the year, 13 stations will be installed on motorways from the northeastern part of the country to Bordeaux and Monaco on the APRR and VINCI motorway networks. For the time being, there are eight charging parks, including none yet on motorways operated by VINCI.
In France, motorways are managed by different companies on the basis of a concession granted by the French government for the construction and operation of the relevant sections. The largest concessionaires are SANEF, Eiffage (to which APRR belongs) and VINCI. On APRR’s motorway network, e-Vadea is now the second fast-charging provider after Fastned.
“Fastned set up operations on our motorways a few months back. We are proud to now welcome a new operator in the market, e-Vadea,” says Guillaume Hérent, General Manager of APRR. “Thanks to this unique combination and this service provided by multiple operators, we are now making it easier for people to make long-distance trips to ski resorts in the Alps, Germany, Switzerland and Southern France.” He continued: “We already have plans to increase the number of charging points given the surge in electric vehicle use. Our stations have been designed to allow this expansion and to meet the needs of motorists as effectively as possible.”
With the installation of e-Vadea stations, SPIE CityNetworks is expanding its expertise. The company has so far mainly marketed its Orios solution and offered customers an all-round service from consulting to installation and operation of charging solutions. Parent company SPIE, meanwhile, has experience in setting up motorway charging parks. For example, the company built fast-charging sites in Germany on behalf of Ionity.
