In Yutz, Lorraine, directly across the river from Thionville, bk World has opened its first charging lounge in France built together with Fastned. On Route d’Illange, close to the A31, drivers charge at eight CCS points delivering up to 400 kW and two CHAdeMO connectors at 50 kW, spending the wait in a lounge rather than in a parking bay.

The partnership between bk World and Fastned already spans sites in Germany, Switzerland and Belgium. France now becomes the fourth shared market, on one of the most heavily loaded corridors in the country. The toll-free A31 links Thionville, Metz and Nancy and forms part of the European north-south route running from Rotterdam towards Lyon. Three streams of traffic overlap here: the daily commute into Luxembourg, which draws well over a hundred thousand people living in France, international freight, and the summer flow of holidaymakers from the Netherlands, Belgium and northern France heading south.

The lounge is built for precisely these audiences. Commuters find barista-style coffee from the automatic machine, snacks and drinks in RFID-enabled fridges that open by card and settle without a checkout. Families on the road use accessible restrooms, a baby changing table and ice cream for young and old alike. Seating turns fifteen minutes of charging into a genuine break, whatever the weather, whatever the hour.

bk World operates charging lounges in six European countries and continues to expand, with the United Kingdom next. In France, Yutz adds to the company’s existing sites and opens the way for further joint projects with Fastned across the country.