Electric car drivers to benefit from free charging next week in 'landmark moment'

Motorists are being offered a week of free charging as part of a new scheme to celebrate the opening of the first ultra-rapid charging hub near Heathrow Airport.

A new partnership between Fastned and Places for London has officially opened its first ultra-rapid electric car charging hub at Hatton Cross Underground station.

The 12-bay ultra-rapid charging forecourt is the first of 25 planned to open across London through the partnership.

To celebrate the opening of the charging facilities, the Hatton Cross charging hub will offer five days of free charging from Monday, June 15, until Friday, June 19.

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The launch was attended by Deputy Mayor for Transport Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy Mete Coban MBE, London Transport Commissioner Andy Lord, alongside Fastned Co-founder and CEO Michiel Langezaal and UK Director Tom Hurst.

It also featured a range of vehicles, including a black cab, ambulance, and Transport for London van, to show that the electric fleet is growing across multiple vehicle types.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has outlined a goal of 40,000 chargers across London by the end of the decade.

Data from Zapmap shows that there are currently 31,169 public chargers across Greater London, more than double the amount of any other region around the UK.

Fastned's charging hub features 12 chargers providing 400kW of power, capable of delivering around 100 miles of range in just five minutes.

The charging forecourt is located near Heathrow Airport, as well as the M25, M4 and A30, making it convenient for commuters, taxi drivers and business fleets.

Tom Hurst, UK Country Director at Fastned, praised the connectivity of the site near several crucial transport hubs and for boosting the spread of electric mobility.

He said: "Hatton Cross is a landmark moment for our joint venture with Places for London, and a major step in powering up the capital where it matters most.

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"With ultra-rapid charging, weather-protected bays and effortless access, this site is designed around people on the go."

Fastned and Places for London plan to roll out several other charging hubs in the near future across the capital for electric car owners.

Planning is already in place for a flagship 36-bay location at Hangar Lane, while an eight-bay hub at East Finchley Underground station car park is in development.

Further sites are already in the planning process phase across Newham, Haringey, and Barking and Dagenham, with seven more locations set to be submitted by the end of the year.

There are already more than 175,000 electric cars and vans on the road across London, with estimates showing that more than one million will be travelling by 2030.

Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Mete Coban MBE, said the opening of the new charging hub was critical for motorists who lack access to off-street parking.

"Powered by renewable energy and designed to be accessible for all users, they will help us build a cleaner, greener and more prosperous London for everyone," Mr Coban said.

This was echoed by John Colgan, Electric Vehicle Charging Hubs Project Manager at Places for London, who said: "This is just the start of a city-wide network of ultra-rapid hubs, which sets a benchmark for future EV charging developments, supporting a cleaner, more sustainable transport network across the capital with Hatton Cross perfectly positioned to serve the high volumes of traffic around Heathrow in a safe and comfortable environment."

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