“There are, for the moment, only 4 fast charging stations in all of Paris.
Only 323 in the whole Île-de-France.
This is not the right speed of development.
As long as we do not have a network of fast chargers dedicated to professionals, we will not be able to accelerate the distribution of 100% electric vehicles in taxis.
"
Nicolas Rousselet, CEO of the powerful G7 reservation platform (used by half of 18,000 Parisian taxis), has just announced that all affiliated drivers will drive a “green” vehicle by 2027. But , with a little more than five years from this deadline, the boss of the G7 is already almost sure of one thing: the future rolling stock of the “G7 drivers” will consist of taxis with hybrid engines… but no electric cars.
1.6% of drivers have an electric car, 96% a hybrid vehicle
The fault is a network of charging stations, in full development but still very insufficient ... And above all totally unsuited to the needs of professionals who cover 200 to 300 km per day and who must be able to quickly recover their autonomy during the day. they run electric. “Each day, a driver has eleven hours to prepare his recipe. He cannot afford to wait to recharge his batteries, and therefore lose races, ”insists at G7. The composition of the current fleet confirms the lack of interest of drivers in all-electric vehicles.
As the booking platform had announced in 2018, the bar of 50% of taxis stamped "G7 green" was crossed this year.
Of the 4,525 drivers who have started their energy transition, no less than 4,364 taxis (96.4%) have opted for a simple hybrid vehicle.
85 drivers have switched to the plug-in hybrid (more expensive to purchase and more energy-consuming in thermal mode because of the higher weight of the batteries)… And only 76 courageous (1.6%) have replaced their petrol or diesel taxi with a electric car.
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We are therefore far from the objective of 50% of electric cars in the fleet, posted by other platforms, such as Uber, which hopes to reach this threshold in 2025. “There are too many factors of uncertainty on the market. electric so that we can make commitments in this area, ”acknowledges Nicolas Rousselet.
“But that's no reason to slow down the greening of our affiliate fleet.
The hybrid is a good transitional solution ”, indicates the CEO, who recalls the new objectives“ imposed ”on G7 taxis: 75% of the“ green ”fleet by 2024 and 100% three years later.
"I wrote to all the local elected officials ..."
An ambitious commitment… Made in the name of the drivers, since the G7 affiliated drivers are self-employed who drive their own vehicles. "We have developed this green transition program in consultation with them", hastens to specify Yann Ricordel, deputy director of G7, detailing the driver support plan set up by the platform. Discounts negotiated with manufacturers for the purchase of vehicles or even partnerships forged with home charging station installers for drivers who have a private house ...
"Taxis which replace their vehicle (a taxi renews its car on average every five years) with a diesel or a diesel hybrid will no longer be able to join G7 after January 1, 2022 and those which take back a petrol sedan after the January 1, 2023 ”, specifies Nicolas Rousselet, who also continues to plead with the public authorities for the creation of a real network of fast chargers which would be reserved for driving professionals.
Read alsoGrand Paris: electric and hybrid cars are popular ... but not everywhere
“I wrote to everyone.
To the Ministry of the Economy, to the mayor of Paris, to all the mayors of the arrondissements and to the local elected representatives of all the municipalities served by Parisian taxis… So far, I have only had one feedback ” , notes the CEO of the G7, who insists on the role that taxis can play in the ecological transition and the fight against air pollution.
“A taxi is 20 people a day!
“, He concludes, recalling that the passenger transport sector, badly affected by the health crisis, has started to rise again.
In September 2021, G7 recorded 3% more trips than in September 2020. A recovery that hides a disruption in demand.
The “Parisian leisure” clientele increased by 22%.
That of “hotel” shopping plunged by… 43%.
