Law obliges power for electric cars

FROM this month electric car charging points must be included in every new-build multi-ownership property that has closed and secure covered parking.

This follows ideas in the Grenelle environmental laws and comes as research shows electric vehicles have a real role to play. With rising fuel prices, 86% of French people told a recent poll they believe they are the future for transport. The study by Avere-France, a group promoting electric vehicle use, found that with average consumption costing up to €2 for 100km, electric cars were seven times cheaper to run than petrol cars.

AF said the benefits also applied to people living in country areas as the average daily car journey was 34km and 90% of trips were for less than 60km. Electric cars have a range of around 150km.

France’s Automobile Club recently revealed that the cost of running a petrol car such as a Renault Clio 3 has risen to €5,976 a year or €0.66/km for an average usage of 9,000km. Petrol costs account for around €800 of this, whereas electricity costs for the same distance would be €180. Depreciation is the largest cost on the petrol car, at 41% and servicing takes 19% and fuel around 12-13%.