French retail network operator Engie Vianeo has announced a partnership with shopping centre company Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) to equip twelve of URW’s shopping centres in France with electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure this year.
The rollout will include 134 ultra-fast chargers with up to 400 kW output and 242 fast chargers offering up to 50 kW, totalling 376 charging points. Eight locations are in the Île-de-France region around Paris, with additional sites in Lyon, Dijon, and Rennes. The charging stations will be installed in outdoor parking lots and multi-storey garages, depending on the site.
Engie Vianeo, founded in 2023 as a subsidiary of the French energy group Engie, specialises in EV charging solutions with a goal to rapidly expand its network to tens of thousands of charging points nationwide. The 376 chargers planned at URW centres represent a significant step towards this target.
Installation is scheduled to start this summer, with public access expected by September 2025. The companies highlighted that varying charging speeds cater to different shopper needs: ultra-fast chargers allow recharging in 20-30 minutes for quick visits, while fast chargers provide around 90 minutes of charging for longer stays.
Didier Liautaud, Managing Director of Engie Vianeo France, said the partnership builds on over six years of collaboration with URW to promote low-carbon energy solutions. “Extending this partnership to electric mobility will help democratise electric vehicle driving thanks to Engie Vianeo’s charging stations in URW’s premium shopping centers,” he said.
Bruno Donjon de Saint Martin, Managing Director of URW Southern Europe, added, “Sustainable mobility is central to our Better Places roadmap. This partnership with Engie will enable us to offer an additional, high-quality service to our customers and support our target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from visitor transportation by 40 percent by 2030.”