EV charging infrastructure (IRVE)
Charging infrastructure for electric vehicles: charging stations, charge points and associated equipment, whose installation is regulated in France.
Definition
IRVE stands for “infrastructure de recharge pour véhicules électriques”, France’s regulatory term for EV charging infrastructure: the set formed by charging stations, charge points, supply circuits and supervision systems that allow an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle to be charged. The term is defined in regulation by decree no. 2017-26 of 12 January 2017, which sets the technical and safety requirements applicable to these installations.
In detail
An essential compliance point for a company: above a power of 3.7 kW, a charging station must be installed by an installer holding the IRVE qualification (Avere-France, the French electric-mobility association). Installation by a non-qualified electrician exposes the company to a refusal of warranty, insurance difficulties and ineligibility for support schemes. The choice of hardware deserves the same rigour: power matched to parking times, energy management, supervision. Our guide to the criteria for choosing a charging station and our comparison of charging stations for businesses detail these trade-offs.
For a fleet, IRVE is deployed across three complementary perimeters: on site (charging company vehicles and employees’ cars during working hours), at employees’ homes (reimbursing electricity consumed for business purposes requires dedicated metering or a reliable billing solution) and on the road on public networks, where a multi-energy card plays the role of the traditional fuel card.
The economics are assessed on a full-cost basis (investment, grid connection, maintenance, electricity) against the savings made on fuel. The method is detailed in our article on the return on investment of a charging station. A notable advantage: VAT on charging electricity enjoys a favourable regime, presented in our VAT on fuel entry. Charging coverage ultimately conditions fleets’ ability to meet fleet greening obligations and the restrictions of ZFEs (France’s low-emission zones).
Frequently asked questions
Is a certified installer required to fit a charging station at a company?
Yes, as soon as the power exceeds 3.7 kW, which covers almost all professional charging stations. The installer must hold the IRVE qualification. Otherwise, the company faces warranty and insurance problems and loses access to financial support schemes.
Can an employee's home charging be reimbursed?
Yes, for the share corresponding to business use of the vehicle. The difficulty is measurement: a dedicated meter, a connected charging station or a billing solution can isolate the electricity consumed by the vehicle and reimburse the employee on supporting evidence, rather than through an unverifiable flat rate.
Related terms
- ZFE, the driving restrictions that accelerate the need for charging
- Fleet greening, the obligation that makes IRVE indispensable to fleets
- Fuel card, the payment counterpart of on-the-road charging
