Electric vehicle chargepoint operator Fastned has revealed plans for what it says will be the UK’s “first of its kind” indoor ultra-rapid charging hub with shop, toilets and seating area.
It has submitted a planning application to Aberdeen City Council to install 12 drive-thru 400kW chargers within the structure of the existing Grampian House warehouse in Aberdeen, to shelter motorists charging their vehicles from the rain and wind.
Solar panels will be installed on the existing roof of the building, which is off Virginia Street, part of the inner city ring road. This will generate clean energy to power the site’ facilities.
Fastned says that its “sustainable conversion” is a “brand new approach to EV charging” in the UK, upgrading industrial land with a new business with environmental credentials.
It has identified electric vehicle hubs in urban locations as an area of growth, with what it says is a growing need for ultra-rapid charging in cities like Aberdeen.
“We’re optimistic that the City Council will see the benefit that the development will bring to the city and how it fits in with its wider decarbonisation strategy,” says Fastned UK country director Tom Hurst.
“This hub isn’t just about EV charging, it’s about showing what’s possible in an urban environment while making a clear commitment to a cleaner, greener city,” he adds.
Iftikar Mian, managing director of West Coast Estates which is working on the project with Fastned, says that the property developer advocates transforming underused spaces into assets that benefit the community.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Fastned on this groundbreaking project to bring the UK’s first indoor drive-thru ultra-rapid EV charging hub to Aberdeen,” he says.
