French energy group EDF and infrastructure investor Morrison are joining forces to invest up to 450 million euros in the construction of nearly 8,000 high-power charge points in France by 2030. The investment will be made through a joint financing platform, with EDF subsidiary Izivia set to operate the high-power charging (HPC) stations.
The HPC chargers will be installed on roads or in publicly accessible private car parks. However, details regarding the planned charging capacity and the starting date for the rollout are yet to be provided by the partners. The initiative is driven by the expectation that the number of electric vehicles in France will reach around 6.5 million units by 2030, resulting in an annual electricity demand of approximately 15 TWh.
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EDF’s electromobility subsidiary Izivia, formerly known as Sodetrel, will oversee the rollout. Established in 1998, Izivia has evolved its business focus over the years and now operates as a charging network operator, service provider, and full-service provider of charging infrastructure. Izivia recently announced a partnership with McDonald’s to install 2,000 HPC chargers in the fast-food chain’s car parks in France by 2025. With the new alliance with Morrison, Izivia will now concentrate more on publicly accessible charging infrastructure.
Jean-Philippe Laurent, Head of Business Development Strategy at EDF, commented, “Transport is the leading sector emitting greenhouse gases in France, and its decarbonization is a major challenge for the EDF group and Izivia. Thanks to Morrison and this strategic partnership, we are strengthening our strategic position in the operation of charging stations accessible to the public. We are convinced that the development of fast charging will accelerate the deployment of electric mobility.”
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Pia Lambert, Executive Director at Morrison, expressed delight in partnering with EDF Group and Izivia, describing Izivia as a major French charging station operator for electric vehicles. Lambert highlighted the project as a significant milestone for Morrison in the European market.
