According to data published by Smappen, the Alpes-Maritimes is among the French departments best equipped with charging stations for electric vehicles. Residents of the department have, on average, only 1.74 km to travel to find a charging station.
Electric mobility is becoming well-established in the Alpes-Maritimes. While the number of electric vehicle registrations continues to increase, especially with the deployment of social leasing in 2025, the latest ranking by Smappen, a geomarketing specialist, places the department in 10th position nationally in terms of proximity to a charging station. On average, a motorist in Alpes-Maritimes has to travel 1.74 kilometers to access a public charging point. This result places the Alpes-Maritimes just behind Bouches-du-Rhône and ahead of Nord, two areas with high urban density.
This dense network is explained by the concentration of the population along the coastal strip. Nice, Cannes, Antibes, and Menton account for the majority of available stations. These cities have undertaken numerous initiatives in recent years to support the energy transition and respond to the rise in the number of registered electric vehicles.
In Nice, for example, several public parking lots and shopping centers are now equipped. The motorway stations on the A8 also have fast chargers, facilitating long-distance travel on the Provence–Côte d’Azur route.
Disparities between coastal areas and the hinterland
While urban areas are well covered, the situation differs as soon as one moves away from the coast. In the hinterland, infrastructure becomes scarcer. As one approaches valleys or mountain villages, motorists often have to travel several kilometers before finding a station.
This inequality in access illustrates a local challenge: how to ensure balanced coverage between dense areas and isolated territories?
Rural municipalities often have stronger budgetary and technical constraints. Installing stations requires suitable connections and sufficient traffic to make the equipment profitable. Some communities therefore choose to pool installations, relying on inter-municipal organizations or private operators.
Strongly increasing demand
The development of charging stations accompanies a national trend: the increase in the number of electric vehicles. In the Alpes-Maritimes, this growth is evident. The number of registrations of electric and plug-in hybrid cars has increased every year since 2020.
This increase pushes public and private stakeholders to accelerate the deployment of infrastructure. Charging stations are multiplying in company parking lots, condominiums, and shopping centers.
Local authorities are closely monitoring this dynamic. The department has incorporated electric mobility into its transport and energy policies. The stated goal is to facilitate charging throughout the territory, not just in major urban centers. Projects for stations in mountain areas or near tourist routes are under study.
An intermediate but strategic position
The Smappen ranking shows that the Alpes-Maritimes is among the top departments, far ahead of the national average. The department benefits from its population density and its tourist appeal, which encourage investment in modern infrastructure.
However, this lead remains fragile. The rapid development of the electric vehicle fleet risks increasing pressure on existing stations but also on the electrical power required to charge all these cars needing electron fill-ups. Without continuous planning, waiting lines or out-of-service stations could become a barrier to usage even if private operators continue to create new charging areas every day.
The transition to electric thus relies as much on the quality of the network as on its territorial distribution. In this area, the Alpes-Maritimes has advantages, but it must still strengthen its network outside coastal areas to maintain its position among the best-equipped departments.
