Category: News

In the UK, sales of electric vehicles continue to rise, supported by the ZEV Mandate quotas, but the roll-out of public charging points is struggling to keep pace. While the total number of charging points is growing every year, the slower pace of installation and regional disparities raise questions about the network’s ability to keep pace with the growth in EV use, particularly for private customers and long-distance journeys.

A network that continues to grow… but at a slower pace

In the UK, the roll-out of electric vehicle (EV) charging points is still progressing in 2025, but at a slower rate than the adoption of vehicles themselves. According to the latest data from The Guardian, the pace of installation has slowed markedly this year, with just 13,500 new public chargers installed between the end of 2024 and the end of November 2025, compared with stronger growth in previous years. This brings the total public network to around 87,200 charging points by the end of November 2025, an annual increase of around 18%, the lowest since 2022.

Strong growth in EV sales

In the UK, electric vehicles account for a growing share of the market. In fact, according to registration statistics, EVs accounted for almost 23% of new car sales in the first 11 months of 2025, compared with around 19% in the same period the previous year. A fine progression, then, for this emerging market, which is becoming increasingly important.

European manufacturers are leading the charge: BMW has 34.4% of BEV sales, Mercedes-Benz 36.6%. The Tesla Model Y (18,310 units) and Model 3 (16,605) dominate the sales rankings for the first nine months.

Fast infrastructure still inadequate

It’s true that the roll-out of charging points is slowing down. But the market is growing. According to Zapmap, there were already more than 87,200 charging points on the network at the end of October 2025, an increase of around 23% over one year. While there has been an increase in the number of so-called fast and ultra-fast chargepoints, which are essential for long-distance journeys, they remain a fraction of the total, still limiting the ability to make long electric journeys, and so British drivers are still not completely convinced about adopting an EV.

According to the latest data from The Guardian, the pace of installation has slowed markedly this year, with just 13,500 new public chargers installed between the end of 2024 and the end of November 2025, compared with stronger growth in previous years. This brings the total public network to around 87,200 charging points by the end of November 2025, an annual increase of less than 20%, the lowest since 2022.

Major regional disparities

The geographical disparities are still glaring: some urban areas, such as London, are home to 22,211 public pay stations (250 per 100,000 inhabitants), 2.3 times the national average of 108 per 100,000.

Conversely, regions such as Northern Ireland have a ceiling of 36 charging points per 100,000 inhabitants. On motorways, only a third of service areas have at least six ultra-fast chargers.

These differences may influence consumer confidence and limit the adoption of EVs outside major cities.

The role of the ZEV Mandate

In this context, public policy plays a key role. The Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate, designed to push manufacturers to sell more zero-emission vehicles, continues to support the growth of EV sales in the UK, although the implementation and political signals around this policy may create some uncertainty for infrastructure investors.

The introduction in July 2025 of theElectric Car Grant, offering up to £3,750 cashback on new cars under £37,000, has undeniably boosted the market. More than 40 models are now eligible, considerably widening the choice for buyers.

A crossroads for electric mobility

The UK is at a pivotal point in its transition: EV sales continue to grow, but the public network needs to keep pace to ensure continued uptake, particularly for consumers and in rural areas. The next few months will be crucial in determining whether the roll-out of charging points can accelerate and sustainably support the rise of electric cars.

As 2025 draws to a close, French road safety continues to face a number of challenges. With the number of deaths on the rise in November and legislation tightened to an all-time high since 29 December 2025, the authorities are stepping up measures to reduce the number of road accidents. The question is: can EVs help to reduce the risks?

November 2025: a worrying upturn in road deaths

According to the latest figures from the Observatoire national interministériel de la sécurité routière (ONISR), 270 people were killed on the roads of mainland France in November 2025, compared with 266 in November 2024, an increase of around 2% over one year. In addition to these figures, there were 13 deaths in the French overseas departments and territories, bringing the national total for November to 283.

This increase puts an end to the fall in fatalities observed in October, and confirms worrying trends for several categories of road user. Young people under the age of 24 are particularly hard hit, with an increase in the number of deaths in this age group. Pedestrian fatalities were also up over the month, while those aged over 65 were down on the previous year. Geographically, fatalities fell in built-up areas but rose on roads outside built-up areas and on motorways.

In addition, over a 12-month rolling trend, road deaths are still on the rise, driven in particular by an increase in deaths among users of motorised personal mobility devices (PMDs), such as scooters.

In terms of serious injuries, November saw a slight fall, with an estimated 1,213 cases in mainland France, compared with 1,242 in November 2024, again according to the ONISR.

Speeding too fast becomes an offence

Faced with this situation, the authorities have decided to significantly tighten the legal framework. Since 29 December 2025, any speeding of at least 50 km/h over the authorised limit has been classified as an offence, rather than a simple fifth-class fine.

According to the press release from the French road safety authority, this measure has come into force following the publication of a decree in application of the law of 9 July 2025 creating road homicide and aimed at combating road violence and reinforcing the judicial response to the most dangerous driving behaviours.

From now on, offenders will face stiffer penalties:

• a penalty of up to three months’ imprisonment ;
• a maximum fine of €3,750;
• a criminal record ;
• suspension of driving licence for up to three years;
• possible confiscation of the vehicle;
• and the obligation to complete a road safety awareness course.

Until now, very excessive speeding was only punished by a fine, except in the case of a repeat offence.

The EV is a safety asset

In this context of the fight against road accidents, electric vehicles (EVs) have safety features that deserve to be highlighted. Several international studies confirm that driving an EV is safer overall than driving a combustion engine vehicle.

• Better impact protection
  • EVs benefit from major structural advantages in terms of crashworthiness. Their lower centre of gravity reduces the risk of rollover, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The absence of an internal combustion engine at the front of the vehicle means that deformation zones can be optimised to dissipate energy in the event of an impact, resulting in excellent crash-test performance. Many electric vehicles have been awarded a 5-star rating in euro NCAP safety tests.
  • A Norwegian study of more than 500,000 vehicles shows that EVs are associated with 20-30% fewer fatalities in the event of a collision, a performance attributed in part to the standard integration of advanced driving aids such as automatic emergency braking (AEB).

• A much lower risk of fire
  • Fires are much rarer in electric vehicles than in combustion vehicles. In the United States, the National Transportation Safety Board reports 25 EV fires for every 100,000 vehicles sold, compared with 1,529 for internal combustion vehicles. Specialist sources such as EV FireSafe estimate that the risk of fire is up to 80 times lower for EVs, thanks to the absence of flammable liquid fuel and sophisticated battery management systems (BMS).

A few nuances to consider

Some studies, such as a Dutch study of over 14,000 vehicles, note a slight increase in minor accidents for EVs (3.2% more), possibly linked to instant acceleration or more frequent urban use. However, the same data also showed a reduction in serious head-on collisions involving EVs.

Overall, the IIHS data for 2024 confirms that EVs have fewer injuries per kilometre travelled than combustion vehicles. This trend is set to strengthen as electromobility becomes more widespread and safety technologies continue to improve.

Conclusion: using technology to enhance safety

Faced with a rise in road deaths in November 2025 and tougher legislation, the electrification of the car fleet could help to improve safety on our roads. The intrinsic characteristics of electrified vehicles make them objectively safer than internal combustion engines.

While technology will never replace the individual responsibility of drivers or the need to comply with speed limits, it can nevertheless offer valuable additional protection. Road safety remains a major challenge requiring mobilisation on all fronts.

Chile has just announced the birth of a new lithium behemoth. This project reinforces the country’s strategic importance in the “lithium triangle”, but reopens the debate on the environmental footprint of salt extraction.

A public-private project lasting until 2060

On 26 December 2025, the Chilean government (via the state-owned company Codelco) and the private producer SQM formalised the creation of Nova Andino Litio SpA. This joint venture will merge their assets to exploit the lithium of the Salar d’Atacama – a vast 3,000 km² salt desert in northern Chile – until 2060.

The Chilean government will capture 70% of operating margins from 2025 to 2030, then 85% from 2031, as part of the National Lithium Strategy launched in 2023. The aim is to perpetuate and even increase current production of 280-300,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate a year, consolidate Chile’s leadership (ranked 2nd in the world behind Australia) and maximise local value by strengthening public control of strategic salars.

A strategic asset for electromobility

This is good news for the battery and electric vehicle industry. This new agreement means a massive supply of lithium, with long-term contracts securing volumes for cell manufacturers and carmakers.

It is occurring in Chile, which holds around 40% of the world’s reserves and accounts for almost 24% of global production. What’s more, extraction by evaporation in the Salar d’Atacama offers a major competitive advantage: costs of between $3,800 and $4,200 per tonne, compared with $5,100 to $6,000 for Australian lithium.

Extraction with a high environmental impact

The lithium extraction process at the Salar d’Atacama involves pumping a rich brine (0.2% Li) to a depth of 30-40 m, then pouring it into vast plastic-coated basins where 95% of the water evaporates naturally under the Atacama sun for 12 to 18 months. Sodium chloride and sodium carbonate are then added to obtain crude lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃), which is dried and refined to 99.5% before being exported to EV battery cathode factories. This low-cost process consumes 2 million litres of water per tonne and puts significant pressure on groundwater.

Lithium extraction in the Chilean salars is polluting and consumes a lot of water. Pumping brine has already had a measurable impact on the ecosystem.

The figures speak for themselves: water levels have fallen by 30% in some areas, the flamingo population has fallen by 10% since industrialisation began, and the ground has been subsiding by 1 to 2 cm per year since 2019 in areas of intensive exploitation. According to the UN, lithium and copper extraction consume up to 65% of the water available in the Salar d’Atacama region.

To address these problems of pollution and destruction of biodiversity, Chile’s National Strategy calls for 30% of salars to be protected by 2030 and for the development of technologies that have less impact.

The paradox of electromobility

This dossier is an uncomfortable reminder that there is no such thing as a “zero-emission car”. There are major gains in terms of use, but the upstream chain remains destructive for ultra-fragile ecosystems.

The creation of Nova Andino Litio marks a turning point in the global governance of lithium. By regaining control via a majority state-owned joint venture, Chile is sending out a clear signal: the days when multinationals were free to exploit the Chilean salars are over. From now on, it is the state that sets the rules, capturing most of the profit.

It remains to be seen whether this new direction will actually lead to better protection of ecosystems. For the time being, the pressure on water resources continues unabated. Lithium remains essential to the global energy transition, but its extraction must become cleaner.

Home charging covers around 70% of the daily needs of electric vehicle drivers, and offers them unrivalled convenience. But from next year, with the CIBRE tax credit due to expire on 31 December 2025, it’s vital to be aware of the support and solutions available to continue equipping your home at a lower cost.

CIBRE: major support until 2025

With the aim of democratising electrically powered vehicles, since 2021 the CIBRE (Crédit d’Impôt pour la Borne de Recharge Électrique – Tax Credit for Electric Charging Stations) has been introduced by the French government and has supported tens of thousands of households. In fact, in 2024 alone, this aid scheme enabled almost 47,000 households to benefit from a home charging point.

It covered up to €500 per controllable bollard installed by an IRVE professional, or up to €1,000 for two bollards per couple, depending on the installer.

To be eligible, the charging point had to be permanently fixed and controllable, and the installation had to be carried out by an IRVE professional. The homes concerned could be primary or secondary residences, completed more than two years ago and not rented out.

In addition to this tax credit, from 2023 onwards, all domestic charging points will benefit from reduced VAT of 5.5%, including reinforced Green’Up-type sockets.

The end of CIBRE: planning for the future

However, from January 2026, CIBRE will cease to exist. The main reasons for this are budgetary constraints and the government’s desire to rationalise tax incentives for the energy transition.

This translates into savings for a couple with two homes, which will fall from around €1,000 to €250 thanks to the reduced VAT. The cost of a typical 7.4 kW installation (terminal, installation, wiring and protection) will remain between €1,200 and €1,800 including VAT.

Remaining support for individuals

Even without the CIBRE, a number of levers remain available. For single-family homes, reduced VAT is the main tax incentive, supplemented by local grants, the amount of which varies greatly from region to region.

In the Île-de-France region, grants range from €300 to €500, with some condominiums eligible for as much as €960. In Occitanie, the regional grant is €500. In Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, it ranges from €400 to €1,000. In some areas of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, the total amount of assistance can be as much as €1,500.

Advenir: a central programme for condominiums

Another area where home charging stations are useful is in condominiums and collective housing. The Advenir programme will continue to be a key tool in this area until 2027. It covers up to 50% of the costs of individual and shared charging points, with a ceiling of €600 per individual charging point and €1,660 per shared charging point.

For collective infrastructures, the subsidy is 50% up to €8,000 for 100 spaces, with a bonus for outdoor car parks and specific wiring. These grants can be combined with each other and with reduced VAT.

Innovative solutions from installers

To keep installations accessible, professionals in the sector are now offering intelligent controllable terminals, capable of modulating power, programming sessions via mobile application and sometimes V2G compatible.

In condominiums, plug-and-play modular solutions reduce work and costs by 30-50%. Some monthly rental packages include installation, maintenance and replacement, to limit the initial investment.

A sustainable economic advantage

These aids are useful and economical to use. Charging at home is still very competitive. At off-peak times, electricity costs €0.10 to €0.15/kWh, compared with €0.40 to €0.80/kWh at normal public charging points and up to €1/kWh at fast motorway charging points.

For a vehicle consuming 15 kWh/100 km and travelling 15,000 km a year, the annual saving could be as much as €1,000 to €1,500.

Post-CIBRE: new approaches

From 2026 onwards, reduced VAT will remain the national tax advantage, local aid will support certain single-family homes, and Advenir will continue to provide support for condominiums. Leasing and staggered payment solutions will become important levers for maintaining accessibility.

The aim remains clear: to ensure that home charging retains its central role in the electricity transition and remains accessible to as many people as possible.

In December 2025, SERMA Technologies inaugurated a new battery testing centre for electric mobility in Neuville-aux-Bois (Loiret). The 5,000 m² site is entirely dedicated to safety, performance and reliability testing of lithium-ion battery cells, modules and packs.

The project is supported by the France 2030 programme and the Green Fund, and is part of the national strategy to strengthen France’s industrial capacity in the field of electromobility. It complements the Group’s existing facilities at Martillac (Gironde) and Lardy (Essonne).

Comprehensive tests to validate safety

The Loiret centre is responsible for carrying out a wide range of tests to assess the behaviour of batteries in extreme conditions.
SERMA’s tests include the following:

• thermal tests (runaway, propagation, temperature rise),
• mechanical tests (impact, crushing, dropping),
• electrical tests (short-circuit, overload, rapid discharge),
• and environmental tests (immersion, humidity, thermal variations).

These highly regulated procedures are carried out in accordance with UN 38.3, ECE R100 and IEC 62660 standards, which are used to qualify and approve batteries for EVs.

The facilities include secure, confined areas equipped with detection, fire containment and smoke treatment systems to neutralise any incident during destructive testing.

An asset for the French battery industry

This new centre strengthens the testing and validation activities of SERMA Technologies, which specialises in the electrical, thermal and mechanical analysis of batteries. It will support carmakers, equipment manufacturers and battery manufacturers in validating their products before they are put on the market.

The company points out that this facility will “support the growth of the European battery industry” and “meet the growing need for safety and performance testing” in the context of the rapid industrialisation of electric vehicles.

Contributing to the development of electric mobility

The work carried out at Neuville-aux-Bois is part of a series of investments designed to structure a French and European battery testing industry. The infrastructure of this new company now covers the entire life cycle of batteries: characterisation, endurance, safety, recycling and after-use expertise.

The new centre will add to the testing capacity available in France, help the industry build up its technological expertise and secure the battery value chain, a key element in Europe’s energy transition.

The year 2025 marks a major milestone for electric vehicles: almost a quarter of new cars sold worldwide are now electric. China is consolidating its dominance, while Europe is experiencing more measured growth and emerging markets such as Vietnam and Thailand are speeding up their transition. With record sales, technical innovations and a massive extension of recharging infrastructures, electromobility is emerging as a real driving force behind the global transformation of the automotive industry.

In 2025, worldwide sales of all types of electric vehicles – i.e. 100% electric and hybrid – are estimated at around 18.5 million units in the first 11 months of the year. This is a significant number: it represents growth of around 21% compared with 2024. According to industry experts, this suggests that the annual total for 2025 is likely to exceed 20 million electric cars sold.

Unsurprisingly, it is China that is massively dominating the market. Nearly 14 million electric cars were sold there this year. This represents 60% of domestic sales in the Middle Kingdom. In other words, two out of every three vehicles sold worldwide are now being driven under a Chinese banner.

The other key player in 2025 is South-East Asia. With sales of electric vehicles up by 79% in the first half of the year, according to Counterpoint Research, it is confirming its role as a driving force for soft mobility. The ASEAN region now accounts for around 5-6% of global EV sales, or more than 1 million units in the current year, compared with less than 600,000 in 2024.

Vietnam, which was already very aggressive in 2024, has seen the market share of zero-emission vehicles rise from 28% to almost 40% in just twelve months. Thailand is following the same trajectory: it now has a market share of over 20%, compared with around 12% at the end of 2024. This rapid growth can be explained by the determination of the region’s governments to structure a genuine local industrial ecosystem, combining manufacturing facilities, tax incentives and the electrification of the public fleet.

Sales, leading brands and models

In terms of volume, the BYD-Tesla duo continues to reign, but low-cost Chinese manufacturers are making their mark in almost every segment. In France, the Renault 5 E-Tech has established itself at the top of the sales charts, while the Renault brand has scored a media coup with its Filante Record prototype, capable of travelling 1,000 km on a single charge.
At the top of the Asian rankings, Chery and MG are investing in solid-state batteries, promising to double their range by the end of the decade.

Infrastructure: the terminal challenge

In terms of infrastructure, growth remains spectacular. There will be more than 8 million public charging points worldwide by the end of 2025 (compared with 4.5 million in 2023, i.e. +78%), with China accounting for nearly 3.5 million, or 44% of the global total. Europe will have more than 1.2 million public charging points (up 40% on 2024), led by the Netherlands (183,000), France (170,000) and Germany (153,000).

According to a TrendForce projection, there will be more than 16 million public charging points on the planet by 2026.

Outlook: European realism, Asian ambition

On the legislative front, the end of the year was a turbulent one. After numerous complaints from European manufacturers, the European Union adjusted its timetable: total carbon neutrality by 2035 has been replaced by a more flexible target of -90% CO₂ emissions for new vehicles.

All over the world, electromobility is progressing, not at the same speed, but in the same direction.

It’s Christmas, and XPeng hasn’t just released a snowy SUV advert to mark the occasion. This year, the Chinese manufacturer has chosen a setting worthy of a science fiction film: a parade in which Father Christmas swaps his traditional sleigh for an XPeng drone. The flying machine was set up on a platform and towed by an XPeng G9 electric SUV, creating a spectacular tableau calibrated for social networks and the festive imagination.

XPeng X2: the eVTOL ‘sled’ of the future

The drone used is not just a Christmas decoration. XPeng is showcasing its X2, an eVTOL electric aerial vehicle developed by its aerial mobility division, the former XPeng AeroHT.

Of course, the aim of the parade was not simply to amaze passers-by; one of the objectives was to showcase the vehicles developed by the brand. Indeed, behind this festive display lurks a very serious demonstrator:

• two-seater configuration designed for low-altitude urban mobility
• 100% electric propulsion
• autonomous or piloted flight capability, depending on usage scenarios
• architecture designed to be integrated over time into an intelligent urban mobility ecosystem.

As stated earlier, XPeng’s role in the parade was strictly event-based: the X2 did not fly, but served as a rolling showcase for these new forms of air mobility, under control and without regulatory risk-taking.

Subtle promotion of the G9

XPeng also took advantage of this exhibition to showcase one of its flagship vehicles: the XPeng G9, its top-of-the-range electric SUV. Already on sale in several markets, it focuses the brand’s strategy on the premium technology segment.

Here, the G9 acts as a symbolic link between today’s terrestrial mobility and tomorrow’s aerial ambitions. In this case, it’s not just an SUV towing a trailer, but the electric car that is literally taking along the prototype of future aerial mobility for the general public.

Technology still in the demonstration phase

Despite the spectacular images and the impression of an operational means of locomotion, XPeng is not yet promising an X2 drone in every garage. At this stage, the device remains an R&D demonstrator, intended to show what the brand is capable of, rather than a product ready for delivery.

At the same time, XPeng is pushing ahead with an even more ambitious project: the “Land Aircraft Carrier”, a concept combining a land-based electric vehicle and a removable eVTOL module, with a market launch date of around 2026. Eventually, this type of Christmas scene will become a preview of a real commercial offer, rather than a simple experiment.

Christmas storytelling to support XPeng’s vision

So this operation is more than just an end-of-year marketing stunt. By giving Father Christmas a parade on board a futuristic drone, towed by one of its electric SUVs, XPeng is telling a story: the story of integrated, electric, autonomous and, tomorrow perhaps, aerial mobility, at the heart of everyday life.

By capitalising on a universal imagination (the sleigh, the presents, the parade), the brand is seeking to make its innovations more familiar, less abstract, and to anchor its vision of multimodal mobility in the minds of the general public. It remains to be seen whether, in a few years’ time, this type of scene will be seen as a marketing wink… or as the first images of a new normality.

On 22 December 2025, the Union Française de l’Électricité (UFE) officially published its “Plan d’électrification des usages”, a strategic roadmap containing more than 50 measures aimed at making electricity the linchpin of France’s energy transition. A significant number of these measures relate directly to electromobility, from driver training and the adoption of electric vehicles to recharging infrastructure and the second-hand market.

Who is UFE and why this plan?

UFE is the trade association that brings together the players in the electricity sector in France, including producers, grid operators, electricity suppliers and energy service providers. Its mission is clear: to promote electricity as the low-carbon power solution to meet the country’s energy, economic and climate challenges.

This plan is part of the very serious reflection on the Pluriannual Energy Programme (PPE3) and the National Low-Carbon Strategy (SNBC3), which are strategic documents designed to guide French energy policy up to 2030 and beyond. The PPE3 and SNBC3 were due to be adopted in 2025, but at this stage the strategic framework has not yet been finalised.

UFE would like to see the electrification of uses, including transport, placed at the heart of public decisions and national investments.

A turning point for electromobility?

Electromobility is a key vector in the energy transition, but it still faces structural obstacles in France: access costs for low-income families, fragmented support, lack of clarity when it comes to installing charging stations, and a second-hand market that is still unstructured.
UFE intends to respond to these challenges with a proposal for measures that outline a coherent vision for accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles. Here are those that directly concern this subject.

1. Electric driving licence: a gateway to EV

UFE is proposing the widespread introduction of an “electric driving licence”, a concept that may seem harmless but has a well-thought-out logic behind it. The idea is to incorporate specific modules on electromobility (driving, recharging, efficiency) into the driving licence course, while reducing costs for the instructor thanks to the savings made by using an EV rather than a combustion vehicle, which is more expensive and polluting.

Specifically, the association recommends :

• require driving schools to offer driving licences for electric vehicles;
• to link this licence to subsidised vehicles (for example via a zero-interest loan);
• extend support to include the leasing of a first EV, thereby reducing the outlay for low-income households.

This measure is intended to be both an incentive and an educational tool: it aims to standardise the use of electric vehicles from the moment drivers learn to drive, creating a generation of drivers who are more familiar with these technologies.

2. Creating an accessible market for social leasing of electric vehicles

In the publication of its plan for the electrification of uses, UFE calls for the introduction of a multi-year trajectory for social leasing for EVs from 2026. In practical terms, this measure is proposed to give visibility to players in the sector and encourage the financing of electric mobility solutions accessible to the most modest households.

The aim is twofold:

• Encourage access to zero-emission vehicles without relying on immediate purchase, which is often costly;
• Create a socially inclusive operational leasing market, which could become a powerful lever for accelerating the penetration of EVs in both urban and rural areas.

3. Supporting the second-hand market

UFE points out that 85% of cars sold in France are sold on the second-hand market, a segment that is often neglected by public policy. As part of the drive for greater electrification, the association is proposing to launch working groups dedicated to structuring the second-hand market for EVs, with a particular focus on educating people about the condition of the battery.

This could reduce uncertainty for potential buyers and develop standardised valuation mechanisms, making the purchase of a second-hand electric car more attractive and less risky.

4. Extended sustainable mobility package

Yes, the sustainable mobility package, a tax scheme introduced by the French government to encourage less polluting modes of transport for home-to-work journeys, already exists to encourage cleaner behaviour (cycling, car-pooling, public transport).

But UFE wants to go further by extending the scheme to include journeys made in individual electric vehicles. With the democratisation of charging points in company car parks, this is an appropriate solution for democratising low-carbon vehicles.

5. Charging stations

Obviously, as we at ECO MOTORS NEWS reiterate, if an electromobility revolution is to succeed, it must be accompanied by an appropriate recharging network. On this point, UFE proposes several avenues:

• Support the installation of home-controlled terminals;
• Linking the purchase of an EV to information on the support available for the installation of a charging point;
• Accelerate the deployment of charging points in condominiums, in particular by making a feasibility study mandatory for every general meeting of condominium owners;
• Train co-ownership associations in the management of recharging infrastructure.

It’s a direct response to the administrative and technical obstacles that continue to slow down the uptake of home equipment, the main place where the French recharge their batteries.

A logical plan, but still consultative

UFE’s electrification plan is strategic and ambitious on paper, incorporating a global vision that goes beyond simple financial incentives to address education and market structuring.

However, the plan remains a contribution and a technical and political proposal that is simply subject to government arbitration and integration into the texts of the EPP3 and the SNBC3.

It remains to be seen whether the government will follow this roadmap, as its practical impact will depend on how these proposals are translated, or not, into operational public policies, particularly in the face of budgetary constraints and competing priorities (housing, industry, networks).

The Stellantis Group officially lifted the veil on the new Opel Astra and Astra Sports Tourer a few days ago, an announcement that comes a month before their world premiere scheduled for the 2026 Brussels Motor Show. For the German manufacturer, this is an opportunity to continue the evolution of its flagship compact model in a context of accelerated energy transition.

An announcement ahead of the 2026 Brussels Motor Show

The manufacturer has confirmed the arrival of these two new versions, designed to succeed the current generation, in a number of official announcements. The first public appearance will take place from 9 January 2026 at the Brussels Motor Show, where visitors will be able to see these models in their final configuration for the first time. With this early announcement, Opel intends to prepare the ground and highlight the main styling and technological developments of its new compact cars.

A modernised design and a new lighting signature

Aesthetically, the new Astra and Astra Sports Tourer evolve and adopt an all-new styling language for the brand, inspired by the design of the Opel Corsa GSE Vision Gran Turismo high-performance concept car. It features a reworked Vizor grille and, above all, the introduction of Intelli-Lux HD headlamps, an adaptive lighting technology that improves visibility and reduces glare for other road users.

Where these two vehicles differ is in terms of format and use. The Opel Astra remains the five-door compact we know, designed for urban and everyday use, while the Astra Sports Tourer is the estate version of the iconic German model, offering more cargo space and modularity, ideal for families or users with larger transport needs.

The compact five-door version offers up to 1,339 litres of boot capacity with the seats folded down. The Astra Sports Tourer offers 1,634 litres with the seats folded.

The press release makes a point of showing that the brand is moving towards ever more environmentally friendly practices: “Developers and designers have also remained true to Opel’s ‘Greenovation’ approach: the interior of the new Astra is made from 100 percent recycled materials.”

A 100% electric engine

The most interesting news is that the press release confirms that the new Astra and Astra Sports Tourer will be available in a 100% electric version. And on the performance front, the electric version of the Astra boasts a claimed range of up to 454 km WLTP and is equipped with V2L technology, which allows users to charge an electric device while driving, such as a bicycle.

The press release focuses exclusively on this electric powertrain, illustrating that Opel is highlighting its new energy transition technologies, which, it should be remembered, have officially announced a total switch to electric power in Europe by 2028.

Strategically positioned in the compact segment

With these new models, Opel is seeking to strengthen its presence in the C segment, which designates compact cars in the European car classification. This is a highly competitive sector, with rivals already well established in the electric segment. The aim is clear: to offer a versatile range, combining design, on-board technologies and sustainable mobility solutions.

A key step in Opel’s strategy

The announcement marks a new milestone for Opel, which aims to become a 100 percent electric brand in Europe by the end of the decade. The new Astra and Astra Sports Tourer embody this transition. See them at the Brussels Motor Show from January 9, 2026.

On Saturday 20 December 2025, a major blackout plunged San Francisco into darkness, the fault of a fire that broke out in a Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) electrical substation. The incident left around 130,000 homes and businesses without power, bringing parts of the city to a standstill, including autonomous cars.

Autonomous taxis have turned into immobile obstacles. At intersections with no traffic lights, these normally fluid vehicles came to a screeching halt with their blinkers on, forcing other motorists to manoeuvre around them as best they could. This rare and comical situation highlights the city’s dependence on ageing infrastructure, even as it adopts cutting-edge technologies.

According to a PG&E press release, the fire damaged essential substation equipment, causing massive power outages in the city centre, South of Market and surrounding areas. To isolate the incident and begin repairs, emergency crews were dispatched to the site and worked throughout the night, in coordination with the municipal emergency services. The authorities have confirmed that there were no casualties and that the cause of the incident is still under investigation.

Intersections without traffic lights, traffic rapidly coming to a standstill

The breakdown had an immediate and visible impact on the streets of San Francisco. More than a dozen intersections were left without traffic lights and quickly became gridlocked, making traffic dangerous for motorists and pedestrians alike. To deal with this unusual situation, the police were mobilised to regulate traffic in the most critical areas, and residents were asked to avoid all non-essential travel until the network was fully restored. The fire that broke out in a PG&E electricity substation also had an impact on the entire public transport network, which suffered significant delays.

Waymo forced to temporarily suspend its robot taxis

As briefly mentioned above, one of the most striking effects of the blackout was the immobilisation of Waymo’s autonomous vehicles. Waymo is an American brand that has been operating in San Francisco since August 2021 with the launch of its robotaxi service for “trusted testers”. Since June 2024, the autonomous robotaxi service has been available to everyone in San Francisco.

As a result of the power cut, many autonomous and therefore driverless taxis became stuck at intersections due to a lack of traffic lights, leading the company to temporarily suspend its operations in San Francisco as a safety precaution. This interruption exacerbated the traffic disruption in the city.

The dependence of autonomous vehicles on urban infrastructure

The local authorities stressed that this incident highlighted the fragility of certain infrastructures in a city that claims to be a world showcase for technological innovation. For the time being, the majority of users had their electricity back after several hours, although thousands of customers remained without power until the following day. Many shops were forced to close early, restaurants struggled to save perishable foodstuffs, and residents dependent on medical equipment required assistance from the emergency services.

When power was restored, attention turned to issues of preparedness and coordination between energy operators, municipal services and technology companies. Officials announced an audit to assess response protocols and consider measures to reduce the risk of similar outages in the future. For many residents, the blackout was a reminder that at the heart of even the most advanced cities, a reliable power supply remains the foundation of public safety, transport and daily life.