Electra to install 160 fast-chargers at Colmar restaurants

Electra, one of Europe’s experts in fast-charging stations, announces a collaboration with the Colmar Group, a renowned restaurant chain, to enhance the electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Belgium and France. By the end of 2025, all six Belgian sites under the Colmar Restaurant brand will feature fast-charging stations managed by Electra.

This collaboration aims to install 160 fast-charging stations in both countries, each with a high capacity of 400kW and accessible to everyone 24/7. These charging stations will allow electric vehicle users to recharge their batteries from 20% to 80% in just twenty minutes.

The Belgian sites will host between two and four charging stations each, totaling 50 fast-charging points by the end of 2025. Similarly, the sixteen locations in France (called ‘Crocodile Buffet & Grill’) will have one to four charging stations.

Every ten minutes

Electra aims to become Belgium’s largest provider of fast charging points by the summer and to establish a European network of 15,000 charging points across 2,200 stations by 2030. “We at Electra are particularly ambitious”, said General Manager of Electra Benelux Louis-Charles Mosseray. He added that the company aims to ensure every citizen can access a charging station within a ten-minute drive.

Partnering with a third party makes expanding fast charging easier and less costly, with no land purchase involved. Licenses to construct these fast-charging parks along highways are also limited and conditional. Other companies choosing the partnering route are Flemish start-up Sparki and Renault, with the latter building up a network at prominent dealerships. Dutch Fastned is the only provider that develops and runs them independently.

Competitive rates

The advantage of collaborating with the Colmar Group is the convenience of dining while charging. Jean-Paul Van Avermaet, CEO of Colmar Group, emphasized that adding Electra’s fast-charging stations will enhance their restaurants’ quality, reliability, and customer experience. “Electric and sustainable mobility is the future, and we would also like to offer this service to our customers.”, he added.

Electra promises competitive rates. Its users can easily manage their charging sessions through the Electra app, which allows for barrier-free access and the ability to reserve a charging spot up to thirty minutes in advance.

Electra began operating in Belgium in the summer of 2022, developing the software and hardware for its fast charging points. The company currently operates 250 charging points in the country.