It was a very good year in France for electric cars, for all kinds of reasons – among them, new cheaper cars entering the market supported by generous government subsidies. In 2023, 26% of new cars sold in France were battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, a huge 47% jump from 2022.
According to French auto industry group Plateforme automobile and reported by RFI, 26% of new cars sold in France were battery electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles, amounting to 1,774,729 new cars. That’s compared to 2022 when only 17% of new cars sold were EVs. Plug-in hybrids present 9% of the sales, according to the report.
Gas guzzlers still account for more than a third of the market. But good news, diesel sales are rapidly declining, with only one in 10 new cars sold in 2023 running on diesel.
It’s no surprise either that Tesla is still the undisputed leader of the electric vehicle market in France and Europe, dominating sales with the Model 3 and Model Y SUV. However, things could change for Tesla as new stricter incentives, excluding Chinese-made models and Tesla’s Model 3, are now put in place.
France’s green bonus, originally a €5,000-flat cash incentive applicable (€7,000 for lower-income families) to all EVs, has tightened its rules this year. For one, a third of those incentives were going to Chinese-made EVs, so the incentives now take into account the car’s production and life cycle, freezing out Chinese and foreign-made cars with heavy CO2 emissions in their manufacturing process. Popular models banished from the list of eligible cars include the Chinese-made Dacia Spring, which accounts for 1 in 10 electric cars sold in France. Also knocked off is Tesla’s Model 3, which for Europe are exported from Tesla’s Shanghai factory. However, the Model Y, the most popular EV in the world, made the list since its assembly takes place in Germany.
In 2024, the government aims to spend €200 million less than in 2023 to support EV adoption, and that should heavily impact the market this year.
Still, France has also introduced a new social leasing program, which allows lower-income drivers to lease electric cars for as low as €100 ($109) per month. That includes no down payment and free charging, in some cases, for six months. For now, the program is limited to only only 20,000 to 25,000 applications, with plans to expand the program.
France has committed to producing over 1 million EVs by the end of 2027.
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Leading electric vehicle analyst, author, and industry thought leaders Loren McDonald and Bill Ferro stop by Quick Charge to discuss EV Adoption’s acquisition by Paren, the “crisis” of EV charging reliability, and the real state of the EV market.
Depending on who you listen, EVs are either driving brands to record growth and are about cross that critical 10% of the overall market nationwide, or the future is bleak, the market is down, and EVs just aren’t selling. What’s really going on? Loren and Bill (probably) have some answers.
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Chevy EV owners in Texas who have Reliant as their electric utility can now charge for free at night with renewable energy.
Over 150 Chevrolet dealerships across Texas are now offering the Reliant Free Charge Nights plan to new EV buyers. With Free Charge Nights, customers can offset their charging costs by receiving credits for electricity used between 11 pm and 6 am. The plan is powered entirely by renewable energy, thanks to the purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs).
Rasesh Patel, president of NRG Consumer, says the plan is about making power personal: “We’re excited to help Chevrolet EV drivers offset the cost of charging their vehicle all while having access to a renewable electricity plan.”
This collaboration aims to make EV adoption more appealing by making charging cheaper and greener. GM Energy’s chief revenue officer, Aseem Kapur, emphasized that partnerships like this help build the ecosystem needed to support an all-electric future: “The Reliant Free Charge Nights plan is a great example of how an automaker and an energy company can work together to make EV adoption an easy decision.”
Existing Reliant customers can also sign up for the Free Charge Nights plan. To get started, Chevrolet EV owners need to designate their vehicle on the GM Energy Smart Charging Portal before enrolling in the plan.
Reliant Energy, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, serves over 1.5 million customers in Texas, making it one of the largest electricity providers in the state.
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Texas is about to get a major power boost – a new AI-powered virtual power plant (VPP) delivering capacity equivalent to 200,000 homes during peak demand.
NRG Energy is teaming up with Renew Home to bring nearly 1 gigawatt (GW) of capacity to the Texas grid by 2035, aiming to make it more resilient while helping residents save on energy costs.
The new VPP will rely on hundreds of thousands of smart thermostats and other connected home devices, making use of AI technology provided by Google Cloud. These devices, like Vivint and Nest smart thermostats, will be offered to eligible customers at no cost. By automating HVAC adjustments, they help shift energy use to when electricity is cheaper, cleaner, and less strained.
NRG and Renew Home have big plans for the VPP. Starting in spring 2025, the companies plan to roll out the program across Texas, installing these smart thermostats in homes served by NRG’s retail electricity providers. Eventually, they plan to add home battery storage and EVs to expand the power plant’s capabilities.
Texas has faced record-breaking energy demands, with peak usage hitting 85 GW in 2023. As the state’s population grows and extreme weather becomes more frequent, VPPs like this one could play a key role in stabilizing the grid. VPPs aggregate a lot of small-scale energy resources, from smart thermostats to home batteries, and use them to help balance supply and demand during times of high stress on the grid.
This nearly 1 GW VPP will be one of the largest of its kind in Texas. NRG’s president of consumer operations, Rasesh Patel, calls it a “pivotal step” for improving customer experience while making Texas’ energy infrastructure more sustainable and resilient.
In addition to Renew Home, NRG is working with Google Cloud to maximize the power plant’s effectiveness. Google Cloud’s AI and analytics tools will help predict weather conditions, forecast renewable generation, and optimize energy usage, all of which will help make energy management smoother for both customers and the grid.
Ben Brown, CEO of Renew Home, said:
NRG’s commitment to creating a more resilient and sustainable energy future while also making electricity bills more affordable makes them an ideal partner for co-developing this unique VPP program.
This initiative raises the bar for future-proofing our electricity infrastructure and delivering cost savings to customers.
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