Margaux Fodéré 10:33 am, May 24, 2023

Decarbonising transport. After industry and construction, it is the other project of the government. The leading emitting sector in France, the mobility of the future will be resolutely electric for light vehicles. For trucks, the fastest solution seems to be CNG. Dozens of multi-energy stations have emerged in France in recent months to meet demand.

What will the petrol station of the future look like? After industry, the government wants to decarbonize development, buildings but also transport. This Wednesday, several roadmaps will be given to the government, including Clément Beaune, current Minister of Transport, to reduce the carbon footprint of our mobility. And the stakes are high, because the transport sector accounts for more than 30% of greenhouse gas emissions in France.

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An easy-to-use station

The solution could be found in natural gas, a fuel that is aimed at all vehicles but especially heavy trucks. So, everywhere on the territory, multi-energy stations are multiplying. Like here in Réau in Seine-et-Marne where a brand new resort has just opened its doors. This is the 37th station of this new kind in Ile-de-France.

Under a large white arch, Djamel Mendjel is about to fill up a little special for his truck. Here, no electric terminals but CNG terminals, natural gas for vehicles, in liquid or compressed form. "We pass in front of the machine, we select the product. And the refueling is done in a quarter of an hour, "says this driver. In addition to the ease of use reminiscent of diesel and gasoline stations, the price of CNG is interesting.

Autonomy sometimes tripled

The latter is historically cheaper than diesel and reduces CO2 emissions by 80%, when NGV is organic. For the moment, the stations offering these fuels are mainly aimed at heavy trucks, the electric being more suitable for short trips, explains Jean-Baptiste Furia, CEO of GNVert at the microphone of Europe 1.

"When you have a truck today electric, you have a range of 300 or 400 kilometers. There, on gas trucks, you have ranges of 700 to 1500 kilometers," he continues. But other vehicles are welcome. "Like the vans of craftsmen," notes Florence Mourey of GRDF Ile-de-France. More and more vehicles could use these stations in the future: last year in France, 1 in two buses was registered with natural gas, whether organic or not.