In this new episode, we explore a problem that every electric car owner has experienced at some point: the difficulty of finding a charging point. It is the number-one barrier to adopting this type of vehicle.

To expand the charging-station network and, above all, make it profitable, operators are relying on a large number of battery-powered vehicles on the road. This brings us to the classic chicken-and-egg dilemma: do we need more electric charging points to see more cars on the road, or more vehicles to justify more charging points?

Europe has just over 300,000 charging points. That is still a long way from the European Commission’s target of one million charging points by 2025.

While Sweden, Norway and Denmark are all very well served, the Netherlands remains the leader, with nearly 80,000 charging points available—well ahead of France, with its 60,000 charging stations spread across a territory ten times larger.

Without an accessible, reliable and high-power charging network, motorists may be tempted to hold on to their internal-combustion vehicles.

Are governments doing enough to expand the charging network? What role can—and should—private stakeholders play? Can innovation help solve part of the problem?

We address these crucial questions with our guests:

• Louis Du Pasquier, responsible for decarbonization initiatives at Vinci Autoroutes.

• Sylvain Laval, Vice-President for the Miscellaneous Left group at Grenoble-Alpes Métropole and President of the Grenoble area’s mobility union.

• Pascal Nouvellon, President of Watèa, an electric mobility solution for professionals.