Mobilize Fast Charge: We have seen the RENAULT rapid charging stations

The Renault group, via its Mobilize mobility brand, wishes to develop its own charging network. Mobilize Fast loads, it is its name, differs by the location and the nature of its stations.

Thus, Mobilize has chosen to rely on the group's distribution network to install its charging stations. A strategy already explored in the past, when Renault had equipped its Wallbox concessions to the launch of the ZOE and its ZE range, by making one of the first charging networks of the French territory.

But this time, it is with fast continuous current load terminals that Renault equips some of its points of sale. Mobilize Fast Charge stations are thus strategically placed less than 5 min from the main axes, or in urban areas. Like the Tesla supercomposes, these stations are therefore not directly installed on motorway areas.

We were able to visit the Lormont station, in the Bordeaux suburbs, the very first opened by Mobilize in January 2024. It is one of the three stations currently operational to benefit from a lounge, to which we will come back. In total, only 25 Fast Fast load stations are operational on the territory, but 30 others are already built and simply expect to be connected to the Enedis network. Mobilize aims at the 100 stations built at the end of 2025 – but not necessarily all operational on this date – and 650 stations in 2028 at European level (with stations in France, Spain and Belgium, as well as in Italy in partnership with Free to X).

These stations have four to six rapid 320 kW terminals, much more than what most current electric cars accept, as well as a 22 kW terminal by alternating current. Be careful however, power is limited to 600 kW at the station scale.

These Kempower terminals, in the case of the Lormont station, are each equipped with a payment terminal, in order to allow transactions by bank card without having to scan a QR code. Only the 22 kW terminal imposes it, being devoid of TPE. It is also possible to authenticate with more than a hundred interoperable charging cards, or to take advantage of the plug & load function of compatible cars.

When the network does not allow you to install a high power load station, Mobilize can call on an energy storage solution with a battery container. Serving as a buffer, it allows a connection to “only” 250 kW, for example, while maintaining a load power of 320 kW per terminal, within the limit of its capacity of course. 14 sites are equipped with this system to relieve the network, but this solution is very expensive and its viability depends for the moment important subsidies paid by ADEME.

A relaxation area to wait during its load

But where the recharge experience of the Mobilize network is really different, it is with the reception fairs that he offers on some of his stations. Like a mini highway mining, they allow you to enjoy a distributor, a coffee machine and toilet. An access code to this small space, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, is provided at the launch of the load. A Wi-Fi network is also available, as well as a cabin to make calls.

For the Renault network, these stations make it possible to generate traffic, whose salespeople can use to offer tests during charge times, which of course have nothing compulsory. It is also a way for sellers to reassure potential future customers of an electric car on their charging experience. The profitability of the charging network as such is therefore not the priority, admitted to us Anne-Cécile Bonneville, in charge of the fast charge of Mobilize.

Recharge on the 320 kW terminals of the Mobilize Fast Charge network is billed by € 0.59/kWh by default, simply paying by bank card, the same price as on the Ionity network, for example. At the opening of a new station, a promotional rate of € 0.41/kWh is applied for two months.

Fortunately, it is possible to lower these prices via a charging pass, which can grant a preferential rate. Mobilize offers its own card, the Mobilize Pass Charge. In its free version, without subscription, it already allows you to take advantage of a price of € 0.39/kWh, while this price goes to € 0.35/kWh with the intense offer, billed € 4.99/month. This subscription allows you to take advantage of preferential rates on other networks, including Ionity, where the load is billed only 0.29 €/kWh.