The cycle route known as Véloroute V63, in Pays Voironnais, has become the latest recreational destination to benefit from the roll-out of Solar Powered E-bike charging stations in France.
The V63 is a popular cycle route because everybody uses it: Families, Friends, Professional Athletes, Work colleagues and Children have fun at different times of the day, and week – breathing in the fresh air or commuting to work.
Found at the gateway to the Alps, it runs between Voreppe and Tullins along the wooded valleys of the Isère; and there’s plenty of wildlife – particularly among the river-islands where gulls and cormorant rest.
But it is where people ‘rest’ that the electric bike charging station has been established, in the service and picnic area at Moirans.
The charging stations are built by Ecoload who have now established 25 similar utilities across France. Depending on their location and whether or not there is access to grid power the installations consist either of:
- Solar panel 360W-24V Mono
- MPPT BlueSolar Charge controller – between 75/15 to 250/60
- A Phoenix Inverter 24/1200 to 48/3000 – or in the case of a grid tied installation a MultiPlus II
- Battery storage employs a 12V/125Ah AGM Super Cycle.
- Optional remote monitoring is offered to clients in which case the installation will also include a Cerbo GX – which monitors the whole installation – and a GX GSM which will provide a connection to the cellular network where data can be accessed and stored via the free-to-use VRM (Victron Remote Management) platform
Typically the capacity of an e-bike battery is 500Wh so although each station is capable of charging between 6 and 12 ebikes from 0 to 100%, in practise users do not wait until their battery is empty – so the typical power output per charge in these stations is around 250Wh, allowing 10 or 20 e-bikes to be recharged in a day (depending on the battery storage chosen) even if there were no power from PV.
The V63 development was supported and financed by the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Region; the Department of Isère; and the Pays Voironnais; who work together as the Communauté de communes du Pays Voironnais.
Ecoload supported their clients to make the best choices. Before this installation was established it was impossible to charge an e-bike on this cycle route due to the absence of grid electricity, causing a real problem for tourists and workers – that’s why the Communauté de communes du Pays Voironnais decided to establish this Teepee solar charging station as a public service.
Ecoload was the brainchild of 3 engineers passionate about mountain biking, and wanting to prolong the pleasure of the ride – whilst preserving the ecology of the mountains. They say: All our charging stations are efficient, but also eco-designed with the greatest respect for the environment, made from durable materials that are as recyclable as possible, integrating harmoniously in the mountains and in the city, and allowing you to enjoy good times in wilderness.
Our products are developed, assembled, tested, integrated and maintained by our team whose know-how ensures quality of service with rapid on-site intervention if necessary, for troubleshooting or maintenance.
Ecoload developed their first station with the support of Thierry Cortassa (Victron Energy Sales Manager for France in 2017) with successful on-site trials that summer. The trial led to new-design commercial models – known as the Teepee and Cabanàvelo – incorporating improvements suggested by users. 
Development is ongoing to meet the requirements of customers and users – Ecoload plan a new generation of stations which will integrate more services such as: bicycle security, car charging, and lockers for helmets.
Here is a Television report about the benefits of the V63 installation which was aired in France recently:
Emmanuel Mercier, Victron Energy Sales Manager for France. says: At Victron Energy, we are very proud to participate with our products and solutions in large deployments of off-grid systems that fit perfectly into our beautiful landscapes while offering unlimited services and energy to bike riders.
