Euro Garages’ parent company EG Group has installed what it claims are France’s first very high power rapid chargers for electric vehicles at two of its sites.

In partnership with IONITY and Vinci Autoroutes it has installed six 350 kW chargers, capable of recharging vehicles in less than 20 minutes, at both its Tours la Longue Vue (A10) and Portes d’Angers south (A11) rest areas.

IONITY, which is a joint venture by BMW Group, Daimler, Ford and the Volkswagen Group with Audi and Porsche, plans to install 400 electric charging stations in Europe by 2020, containing up to 2,400 chargers.

Through strategic positioning, it aims to facilitate long-distance travel by electric vehicles across Europe.

Michael Hajesch, IONITY’s managing director, commented: “We are delighted to make 12 very high-power chargers available to users through the partnership developed with EG Group. These state-of-the-art charging stations begin a new chapter for electric mobility in France.

“At IONITY, we are working enthusiastically on developing electric mobility. This stage is critical in the development of a large pan-European charging network. The partnership established with EG Group and Vinci Autoroutes represents a real advantage for us.”

George Roberts, director of EG Group’s EG Fuel division, said: “It’s a very important stage for EG Group, whose mission is to assure its customers of a unique experience throughout the world. The group was the first business in France to install electric charging stations at its locations back in 2013.

“We wish to play an active, front-line role in the energy transition in the years to come. EG Group is delighted to work in concert with IONITY and Vinci Autoroutes. We will continue to take advantage of any opportunities offered by the French and European networks.”

Pierre Coppey, president of Vinci Autoroutes and deputy general director of Vinci, stated: “The motorway is the ultimate adaptable infrastructure component, open to all forms of mobility. In this sense it is the infrastructure of the future because it lends itself to the development of every new mode of transportation: electric vehicles, but also autonomous vehicles or carpools. The issue today is to promote the increased use of electric vehicles outside of urban areas by making long-distance trips possible. Our partnership with IONITY and EG Group is in line with this perspective.”

The entire Vinci Autoroutes network will be fully equipped with very high-power IONITY charging stations by the end of 2019.