First off, there is an error in this article where it says: a public investment of €1.5 billion (US$2.2 billion) to establish a network of 1 million charging points by 2015

The public investment of € 1.5 billion is for 4.5 million charge points in 2020. See the bar graph on page 16. The price per charge point is € 1000 (public + private).

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If they only realise less than half of their targets, that would still be impressive.

You should read the linked pdf. It's in French, but some of the projections are interesting.

They predict the market share of ev's at 7% by 2015 already, rising to 27% in 2025.

The cost of the battery for an 80 km range is estimated to be € 11,100. That seems a reasonable price for 2015.

It makes a lot of sense for France which has 79% nuclear energy which must be difficult to throttle back at night.

Charging millions of EVs at night would seem like a very good use for this energy.

+ they have 2 major car companies which they can support.

Probably the most important thing they have in the list is the development of common European charging standards.

If they can get this agreed, even if it is not optimal, EVs will have a brighter future, sooner, in Europe.

"A €5,000 grant for the purchase of vehicles with CO2 emissions less than or equal to 60 g/km until 2012". I wonder what vehicles that might be.

@Joe
Nissan Leaf, all EVs.

@Matthew
Despite the crazy 35 hour work week, the French do get things done. They tend not to mess around so much when they are actually at work + they end up with loads of holidays at the end of the year.

The French have a lot to be proud of. They made a remarkable recovery since 1945.

This is a very comprehensive, detailed, plausible plan to introduce PHEVs, BEVs, public and private charging points, enhanced batteries + recycling facilities throughout France, starting in 2010**

** China is introducing a similar 7 year plan soon. Many others will follow.

One should take the time to read the original French (or translated) full plan.

The French industries have to knowhow and facilities required to manufacture all the material needed.

A recent study revealed that the first 25% BEV fleet would not require any significant changes to power generation and distribution networks other than the installation of charging stations.

Articles 7 & 8 & 9 make it compulsory for all new homes, condoniums and appartment building garages and work places to have charging stations to eventually supply up to 90% of all re-charges.

For a similar plan to be as successful and have equivalent environmental effects in USA, the 625 existing coal fired power plants would have to be modified and/or progressively replaced with clean Wind, Sun, Geo-thermal, Nuclear or NG power plants. Distribution networks would also have to be progressively updated. None of that is a real challenge. It's just a question of priority and leadership.

When I drive distance, I stop every 2 hours and take 5-10 minutes to fill up and wash the windshield. Some people have other habits, but if the quick charge can be done in 5-10 minutes every 100 miles, then it might just work.

Reel$$:

Most domestic garages, in USA and Canada, have at best one or two 115 VAC/15Amps outlets. None have 220 VAC, 200 Amps outlets anywhere in the house.

Something like 220 VAC, 30 Amps or 40 Amps outlets could be installed in all new garages. Many existing garages could be upgraded with similar power outlet. Where the main power panel is already fully loaded, a power mizer + e-timer could be installed between the car charger and the kitchen stove or the electric hot water tank. Depending or the distance, electrician's cost, local regulations for cabling, load mizer requirement, type of timer used etc, that upgrade could cost something between $600 and $900. However, if done during construction, the extra cost would not be much over $300.

Overnight domestic charge stations could also operate from a standard 115 VAC, 15 Amps or 20 Amps outlet. That could be enough for a 10 KWh to 20 KWh charge in less than 10 hours.

They say that siting in one position is not good for your body. Airline seats are just one example of this, experts advise that people get up and walk around a bit now and then.

Since most gas stations have electric power, I do not see why they could not have quick chargers. It is in the city that I questioned the use of quick charging. 1000s of cars quick charging at the same time could cause quite a load on the grid.

No developped country better protects their own companies than France. When some foreign company tries to take over their company, French government immediately steps in trying to protect them. Recently they organized merger between Suez and Gaz de France to prevent takeover of one of them.
In that regard Canada is the worst in protecting their own, almost all Canadian firms were taken over by foreigners, especially the mining ones.

This shows what can be achieved by joining forces with support of government. None of French companies is among the best in any of technologies for BEVs, PHEVs (without counting Japanese contribution via Nissan acquisition).

IMO Hyundai already makes better cars than either PSA or Renault (except for some diesel engines).

MG:

You may be right about Canada but south of the border may be doing as good a job as EU countries.

With regards to vehicle quality, I wouldn't run down the one you mentioned. Like Colombo, I drove one for many years (in Africa) with very little problems. As for electrified vehicles, don't be surprised to see many more French built BEVs on the roads than South Korean in the near future (2 to 3 years). In the long run, everybody will build and use BEVs. Would will build the most... probably China, India and EU. Time will tell... but it will not be Canada or USA. We like our noisy ICE monsters too much to change very quickly.

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France also gets 80% of it's electricity from nuclear power plants. They can afford to use electricity for high energy needs. We, on the other hand, prefer rolling brownouts and fanciful talk about windmills.

Take that America!

Praise be unto Algore!

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Reel$$,

I wasn't promoting the idea of EV's with a 50-60 km range. Can you give an example of one? The first iteration of EV's coming on the market will have a range well above 100 km.

I would say that an EV with a 300 km range would be perfectly usable if all gas stations along the highways have fast chargers. Most people (at least here in Europe) will exceed this range only once per year, during the summer holidays. Having to stop every 300 km for a fast charge will not be a dealbreaker considering the day-to-day advantages of the EV. Of course, there are always exceptions to which this doesn't apply. But I think they are just that: exceptions.

We seem to worry too much about first generation PHEVs and BEVs e-range. On-board e-storange units evolution will take care of that within one or two decades.

BEVs with 300+ Km range will be around by 2015/2020 and the 500+ Km range version will be around by 2020/2025. Those long range BEVs may be rather expensive until mass produced (5++ million). Eventually, BEVs will be simpler and cheaper than equivalent ICE to build and certainly to operate.

Goracles and friends may resist the change but it will come. They will have to leave their horses and buggies home and their ICE machines at the museum.