France's EV network strained as charging gaps and false fire claims emerge

A study by the NGO Clean Cities found that Paris ranks fifth among 36 European capitals for electric‑vehicle (EV) adoption but remains under‑equipped with public chargers. The city operates about 2,000 charging points across the Belib' network and plans to add roughly 230 more, while national authorities target 400,000 public points by 2030. The report highlights significant disparities between central districts and peripheral neighborhoods, suggesting a risk of “charging deserts” as EV sales approach a quarter of new registrations in France.

Separately, viral TikTok videos claiming multiple EV explosions in French cities during a heatwave were investigated and disproved. The footage originated from Germany, Portugal and other locations, and only a single fire involving a Renault Zoé in Périgueux was reported, with no clear link to extreme temperatures. Studies show EV fires are far rarer than those of internal‑combustion vehicles, underscoring that the alleged surge was misinformation rather than a systemic safety issue.