Tom Hurst | Fastned UK: Accelerating Public EV Charging | Net Zero Projects 2025

Tom Hurst, UK Country Director at Fastned, shares a compelling vision for the future of ultra-rapid public EV charging at the 2025 Net Zero Scotland Projects Conference. His talk cuts through policy clutter to reveal how scalable infrastructure, strategic location planning, and visibility-first design can make EV adoption mainstream. ⚡🚘

💡 Key Topics Covered:
• Fastned = Ultra-rapid charging hub operator with 350+ hubs across 8 countries
• Fastned’s name: nod to the Netherlands (NED) & Fastnet Rock — not a Scottish “ned”!
• UK launch began in 2019 with the first hub in Sunderland; now expanding across the UK
• EV freedom: the goal is to replicate petrol/diesel refuelling ease for EV drivers
• 1,000 hubs targeted across Europe — millions invested per location
• Hubs are off motorways: Scotland hubs in Hamilton, Dundee, and soon Greenock

🔋 Scotland & Grid Challenges:
• Visibility: Sites are designed to be seen from miles away — helps public confidence
• EV sceptics often discover charging hubs by mistake, prompting curiosity
• Investment now ~£2M per hub due to inflation
• Critical barriers: planning permission and grid access — still causing years of delay
• UK planning process = least predictable among Fastned’s 9-country operations
• Example: some sites with planning need 5+ years to connect to the grid

🤝 Policy & Solutions:
• Working with Scottish Govt, Transport Scotland, Scottish Futures Trust
• Proposes: trusted supplier status, EV planning advisory body to help local officers
• Highlights the need for consistency and speed in planning & grid approval
• New joint venture with Places for London fast-tracked planning in just 3 months
• Hatton Cross EV hub (near Heathrow) shows what’s possible with collaboration

📌 Main Takeaway:
The UK’s EV transition depends on scaling high-quality public charging hubs. But it requires decisive action on planning and grid policy. Fastned shows it’s possible with the right support.

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📺 Watch Key Moments:
• 00:36: Introduction – Fastned’s roots & name
• 01:07: What Fastned does – UK EV charging journey
• 02:08: Hub growth – From Sunderland to Dundee
• 03:19: Investing ahead of demand – Hamilton case
• 04:14: Underserved areas – why they’re essential
• 05:17: Fastned hubs visible from 2 miles
• 06:50: Public safety & visibility builds EV trust
• 08:24: Two requirements: planning & grid
• 09:26: Planning = most unpredictable barrier
• 10:59: Need for EV planning advisory body
• 11:32: Trusted operators = faster scale
• 12:01: Hatton Cross JV → fast-track success

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