TfL chooses Fastned as London charging hub partner

Transport for London has selected Fastned as its partner for a series of new ultra-rapid charging hubs around the capital.

The joint venture between TfL’s property management arm Places for London, and Fastned will see the chargepoint operator open the first of five planned hubs in 2026.

The five initial sites, which will deliver a total of 50 chargers, have already been identified, with plans for a total of 25 locations in future years.

Each site will have at least six ultra-rapid charging devices capable of 400kW, with at least one bay for those with accessibility needs.

The partnership said it wanted the new sites to be at the forefront of accessibility and safety, with the new charging infrastructure looking to meet or exceed the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 and deliver best practices from the British Standards Institution’s guidance on accessible charging infrastructure. All sites designed to provide clear lines of sight, plenty of lighting and CCTV. Larger sites are also expected to offer retail and other facilities, as well as on-site staff.

London already has the highest concentration of EV chargers in the UK, with more than 21,000 devices but with 180,000 electric cars and vans already on the roads it needs to continue to grow its public charging provision. Many councils are partnering with CPOs to install low-powered on-street devices but the new partnership will see dedicated off-street sites where cars can be charged from 10-80% in as little as half an hour.

Mark Farrow, director of strategy and planning at Places for London, said: “These hubs will help encourage high-mileage businesses such as taxi, private hire and commercial drivers, across London, to confidently make the transition to electric vehicles.

“These new charging hubs, the first of which will open in 2026, will make it even easier for those who need to rapidly charge their electric vehicles, with several bays at each location, helping London to further work towards net zero carbon by 2030.”

Tom Hurst, UK country director for Fastned, added: “Londoners deserve a top-notch EV charging network for all those daily trips and longer journeys. That’s why we’re excited and proud to be bringing more ultra-rapid charging to key locations across the city – all helping to ramp up London’s transition to electric.”