Estrosi meets electric car and parking commitments

© Frankh

The project which is called Auto bleue will see many carbon emitting drivers leaving their cars at home and using low cost subscription electric vehicles which are found next to the charging “boots”.

There will be a total of 70 stations in the PACA (Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur) region by the end of 2012, with 15 charging plugs in Nice operating from April 2011 and also one in Cagnes sur Mer and Saint-Laurent-du Var.

This initiative will help the local government fulfill promises of a greener city, with less CO2 emissions and more environmental measures to put the brakes on gas guzzlers.

The electric cars which can be found in the stations, will be the Urban Peugeot iOn and the Citroen Berlingo Venturi. The Mia Electric, a cost effective four-wheel drive currently being ordered by the hundred in France, will be joining this group in the summer.

With Auto Bleue, the mayor of Nice seems to be paving the way for several regions around France - including the city of La Rochelle - that aim to create suitable incentives for major electric car investments.

Estrosi hopes to build by the end of 2013 a network of charging points and battery switch stations, where a driver can swap the empty battery in their vehicle for a fully charged one.

Shai Agassi, the head of Californian sustainable transport company “Better Place” told the Guardian that the UK can learn from countries such as France which has encouraged a long term commitment to reducing carbon emissions with its 5,000 euros incentive (given to the cities and towns in France) towards electric car initiatives.

Although seven out of ten motorists have range anxiety worries about how far electric cars can travel without a top-up and how much it costs, Estrosi pointed out that the “boots” are strategically located in popular spots so that drivers can charge up while doing their chores.

He added that from the year 2013 drivers who own an electric motor will no longer have to pay recharging fees but a simple low monthly cost of 25 euros.

The urban community of Nice Côte d’Azur has chosen the VENEP group, a joint venture between the Véolia Transport and EDF, to manage the project.

AA