All electric car drivers could soon be using Renault dealers across Europe to get a super-fast 600kW charge. The car maker has announced plans to roll out a network of 200 ultrafast charging stations in Europe, branded under the banner of its new Mobilize spin off company. 

The first hubs will be opened in France, and will be less than five minutes drive from motorways. Unlike many dealer-based chargers, they will also be open 24/7 and welcome all electric vehicle drivers.The network will encompass 200 stations in Europe by mid-2024, In France, Mobilize will install 90 stations – or one ultrafast station every 150 km on main roads. 

Some stations are expected in the UK, although details have yet to be confirmed.

The hubs will offer rest areas with Wi-Fi and refreshments

Although smaller than other hubs such as the pioneering Gridserve Forecourts, the Mobilize sites will offer a rest area with food and refreshments, Wi-Fi and video games. 

To reduce Mobilize Fast Charge stations’ impact on the grid, the charging mechanism relies on a smart energy management system combined with stationary storage capacity using electric vehicle batteries and, in some places, solar power from photovoltaic panels. 

The storage system will be able to deliver a full 600 kW of instantaneous power, even when several cars are charging at the same time.The system also cushions its impact on the national grid, lowers the cost of connections to the grid and means energy will be cheaper.

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The chargers will be future proofed, as they can provide more than twice the power accepted by the new Megane