Dutch chargepoint firm Fastned has been granted planning permission to build the UK’s first indoor drive-thru charging hub.
The new facility is set to open in late 2026 in a warehouse on Virginia Street in the centre of Aberdeen, offering drivers 12 ultra-fast charging bays delivering electricity at up to 400kW.
Fastned says the new hub will offer drivers shelter from the elements and comprises a “drive-thru format, similar to that found in petrol stations”, reducing congestion by making it easier for vehicles to enter and exit the facility.
The chargers will be installed in an existing warehouse just off Aberdeen’s A956 inner-city ring road and is billed as a “sustainable conversion” that “has never been done before in the UK in a drive-thru format”. Planning documents indicate the facility will include a shop with a waiting area and toilets, while the warehouse roof will be kitted out with solar panels.
Tom Hurst, Fastned’s UK country director, described the development as “a revolutionary approach to EV charging” in an area “where the weather isn’t always the best”, adding: “I’m over the moon that Aberdeen City Council has supported our application and given us the green light. This means we can break ground at the site as soon as possible and kick-start this very exciting project.”
