At a time when countries are developing their energy transitions for transport, are France’s overseas territories, which are often overlooked in major national plans, being left behind when it comes to electromobility? Logistical challenges, a unique energy mix, ambitions that are sometimes thwarted: territory by territory, let’s find out where electromobility stands off the French mainland in 2025.
La Réunion
Réunion is the leader in electromobility in the French overseas territories, with the highest penetration rate. With a total of 6,005 new vehicles sold in the first quarter of 2025, the island is down 8.4% on last year. The same applies to electrified vehicles: 742 electric vehicles sold, a fall of 32.1%.
In these figures, BEVs account for 631 units (10.5% market share), while PHEVs represent 111 units (1.8% market share). These declines are largely due to the abolition of the local tax exemption and higher prices.
It also has the highest density of charging points (462 public points), supported by local operators such as EZDrive. The region has a high overall electrification rate (49.9%), but remains highly sensitive to economic and political uncertainties.
Martinique
By 2025, the region will have 211 public charging points, a figure that is rising but still insufficient to support motorists. They are deployed by various operators: EZDrive, VoltDom and TotalEnergies, who offer competitive average tariffs.
The market for electric vehicles remains modest (4.9% market share in 2024).
There are several reasons for this low penetration:
- A road network that consumes a lot of energy (steep gradients, almost constant air conditioning);
- a limited range of models that are not always adapted to local constraints ;
- a tense economic and social context.
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe has more than 184 public charging points, a number that is still low but growing steadily, supported by players such as gmob, EZDrive and TotalEnergies.
In terms of sales, the results are encouraging: despite an overall decline in the passenger car market (-6.1% in 2024), the share of electric vehicles is between 5 and 6%, representing an increase of around 20%.
As well as cars, electromobility is also making headway on two-wheeled vehicles: in recent years, the majority of mopeds sold have been electric.
EDF Guadeloupe has also launched the D.R.I.V.E. project, an experiment designed to measure the benefits of photovoltaic shading dedicated to recharging, with intelligent control to favour hours of sunshine.
French Guiana
Despite having the largest territory in French overseas territories, electromobility in French Guiana is struggling to take off. The public network has just 30 charging points, making it the least equipped territory. This shortfall is a major obstacle, and the market share of BEVs remains below 3%.
Paradoxically, French Guiana is one of the most advanced regions in terms of carbon-free electricity production, thanks to the Petit-Saut dam and its hydroelectric potential, which covers almost 70% of electricity needs.
Mayotte
Probably the most troubled territory, Mayotte suffers from a very fragile economy. The car market is in crisis, with a 12.6% fall in second-hand cars by 2024, and a low penetration of pure electric cars (just over 3%).
Despite this, the rate of hybrid electrification is high (30.2% by 2022). The transition is underway, but is severely hampered by local economic constraints.
Data on infrastructure is non-existent: this lack of public information means that the region is significantly behind the times.
New Caledonia
In 2022, New Caledonia adopted an Energy Transition Plan (STENC 2) with a clear objective: 18,500 electric vehicles by 2030. The territory has already made progress: around 1,000 EVs are on the road, there are some forty charging points (Hivy network), and the first 150 kW hypercharging point was inaugurated in 2025.
Local aid also supports the transition:
- bonus of 600,000 CFP francs (around €5,030) for the purchase of an EV;
- preferential electricity tariff for charging points: 8 francs/kWh during the day and 20 francs/kWh at night (compared with 34.96 francs for the standard tariff).
However, the transition is still being held back by cultural (strong attachment to 4×4 vehicles), economic and political factors.
French Polynesia
The market is still in its infancy, with only 2 to 3% electric cars and around 150 sold each year.
Unlike New Caledonia, Polynesia offers no significant subsidies, which is holding back adoption.
Scaling up is limited by the almost non-existent infrastructure, particularly in view of the very recent authorisation (2024) to install chargeable charging stations of more than 3 kW.
Saint-Barthélemy & Saint-Martin
In these areas, electromobility is still a niche mode of transport, at the top end of the market: the transition is mainly being made by importing luxury models, often hybrids. Public charging points are rare, and local support is virtually non-existent.
Other overseas territories
In Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon and Wallis and Futuna, markets are marginal or non-existent. With no recorded infrastructure and a low population density, the entire market depends on imports, with demand remaining very low.
Integration into national policies
France has been encouraging electromobility for years, particularly through public subsidies. But while national schemes (ecological bonuses, social leasing) are theoretically open to the French overseas departments and territories, their application is proving complex.
The government has increased the bonus for the DROMs by €1,000, up to a maximum of €8,000 depending on resources. However, the conversion bonus has been abolished for private individuals since December 2024.
A €500 tax credit for the installation of a home charging point has been extended until 2027. The ADVENIR ZNI programme, set up by ADEME, finances up to €2,160 per charging point in non-interconnected zones. In particular, it encourages solar charging to avoid peaks in consumption.
However, these aids are not always as successful as expected: high logistical costs, import prices, lack of take-back structures, low terminal density and local tax policies limit their impact.
Cross-cutting challenges and strengths
The overseas territories present an energy paradox: heavy dependence on fossil fuels, but considerable renewable potential (sun, wind, hydroelectricity).
Their status as non-interconnected zones means that the cost of electricity production can be up to ten times higher than in mainland France.
This context complicates the emergence of sustainable electromobility, where optimising recharging and coordination with local energies are essential.
There are also socio-economic constraints (poverty, high prices, unsuitable models) and the intensive use of air conditioning, which consumes a lot of battery power. However, the short distances between islands are an advantage: they make them natural laboratories for the energy transition, particularly through mini-grids, solar shading and intelligent management of recharging.
Conclusion
While La Réunion is leading the way, with a penetration rate in excess of 10%, the transition remains very uneven across France’s overseas territories. Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana and Mayotte are lagging behind, while New Caledonia and Polynesia have ambitions despite a still limited market.
There is real integration with the aid available in mainland France, but their effectiveness requires differentiated support and wider access to recharging. The decade 2025-2035 will be decisive: the challenge is clear – to make the overseas territories major levers for sustainable mobility.
