Renault Group's Mobilize mobility services brand will open a network of 200 fast-charging stations in western Europe by mid-2024.
Mobilize will install 90 of these stations in France, where there will be one fast-charging station ever 150 kilometers (93 miles) on the country's trunk roads. The first sites will open in France in the coming months. The remaining 110 stations will be set up in Belgium, Italy and Spain, but future sites will follow later in more countries.
Most of the Mobilize Fast Charge stations will be located at Renault dealerships, which means they will be less than five minutes from a motorway or expressway exit. The network will consist of standalone sites, similar to gas stations, with each station to have six ultra fast-charging points supplying up to 400 kW. This will make the network one of the most powerful in Europe.
The stations will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to drivers of electric vehicles from all brands, not just Renault Group marques. When the Mobilize Fast Charging network is complete, Renault says drivers of electric vehicles will be able to travel from Hamburg in Germany to Seville, Spain—a 1,600-mile journey—with complete peace of mind.
"One of Mobilize's objectives is to make mobility cleaner and more accessible. Mobilize Fast Charge is helping by providing all electric vehicle drivers with access to ultrafast charging points whatever brand they drive. To make this happen, Mobilize is leveraging two of Renault Group's strengths: its granular sales network and Mobilize Power Solutions' expertise."
Clotilde Delbos, CEO, Mobilize
The fast-charging stations will be equipped with a rest area where drivers will be able to enjoy a coffee or snack, use the Wi-Fi connection, charge their phone or laptop, or even play a video game while their EV is charging. Drivers will gain access to the stations using a Mobilize recharge card, which will also provide holders preferential rates throughout the Mobilize Fast Charge network.
To limit the impact on the power grid, Mobilize says the charging mechanism relies on a smart energy management system combined with stationary storage capacity using second-life electric vehicle batteries and, in some places, solar power from photovoltaic panels. That sounds similar to Audi's charging hubs.
Each station will feature a stationary storage system able to deliver 600 kW of simultaneous power, even when several cars are charging at the same time. This setup will ensure that drivers will benefit from the best price for electrical power, according to the company.
