Scotland’s biggest ultra-rapid EV charging hub powers up

New Fastned site adds eight 300kW units close to M74 as EV registrations continue to grow

A new electric car hub offering Scotland’s largest array of ultra-rapid chargers has opened in South Lanarkshire.

The site, operated by Fastned, is Scotland’s largest ultra-rapid charging site - offering up 300kW charging for eight vehicles at a time - and is powered by renewable energy.

Located in the Palace Grounds Retail Park in Hamilton, the new site is close to the A72 and M74 and offers the growing number of EV owners the ability to add up to 180 miles of range in just 15 minutes.

The site is Dutch firm Fastned’s second location in Scotland and its 10th in the UK. Its opening comes seven months after BP Pulse opened 10 150kW chargers at Harthill Services on the M8.

The site provides 300kW charging for up to eight vehicles at a time

Tom Hurst, UK country manager and network development manager for Fastned said: “Scotland has long been at the forefront of the UK’s transition to a  greener future, and transport is no exception. We are delighted to be helping with this transition. Our new station, currently Scotland’s largest ultra-rapid charging station, will bring fast, reliable and easily accessible charging to the area.”

The charging station was part-funded by the Scottish Government’s Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme, which aims to stimulate private investment in infrastructure around the country.

Officially opening the site, Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth MSP said: “Scotland is very much at the forefront of the electric vehicle revolution and we are seeing impressive growth in uptake. We want to ensure that the public electric vehicle charging network keeps up with demand to meet the needs of people and businesses across the whole of Scotland.

“Through our draft vision for the public electric vehicle charging network, we’ve outlined that public and private sector partnerships will be key in attracting investment and scaling provision at pace. This new station from Fastned, with its striking design and powered by renewable energy, is a fantastic example of what can be delivered by industry.”

While only a handful of current vehicles, including the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Porsche Taycan and Genesis GV60 can take full advantage of the chargers’ 300kW capability, the units will also allow owners of vehicles capable of 100kW+ charging to maximise their charge speeds.

The latest registration figures show that one in 10 new cars registered in Scotland this March were EVs, reflecting the overall trend across the UK, where EV registrations are up 40% compared with last year.

Despite steady improvements in the maximum range of EVs, worries around charger access and speeds remain a key concern among motorists unsure of making the switch.

Neil Swanson, director of Electric Vehicle Association Scotland welcomed the latest addition to the country’s charging infrastructure and said it would help encourage drivers to choose an EV.

He commented:  “It is essential that EV journey charger locations offering multiple simultaneous connections become as common as petrol filling stations across the country. The significant increase we are seeing in drivers switching to all-electric vehicles is incredible and so expanding the charging infrastructure in Scotland is vitally important to meet demand.”