Fastned wins Europe’s first tender for electric only service areas on the E17 near Ghent

• Fastned wins tender for two large charging stations at Gentbrugge, a set of service areas near the city of Ghent, Belgium, on the E17. 
• These stations, located on both sides of the highway,  will provide 12 charging spots each, as well as picnic areas, playgrounds, sanitary facilities, and shops.   
•  Fastned plans to start construction in 2024.

Amsterdam, 15 March 2023. Fastned, the European fast charging company, has won a concession for two high traffic locations in a tender organised by the Agentschap voor Wegen en Verkeer (AWV) - the Flemish road authority. This tender outcome will allow Fastned to develop and operate two large fast charging stations with 12 charging points each on both sides of the E17 highway near the city of Ghent. The two Gentbrugge locations will be the first ‘highway service areas of the future’, serving electric cars only and providing additional services such as toilets, sandwiches and coffee. The stations will have the capacity to charge up to a thousand electric vehicles per day, delivering each car up to 300km of range in just 15 minutes.

Fastned has been a front runner in accelerating the shift to electric mobility in over a decade. The two new large drive-through stations will have 400kW chargers, providing energy only from sun and wind. This station design welcomes all EVs, including longer vehicles such as trailers and trucks. They will be equipped with the iconic yellow canopies covered with photovoltaic panels, that protect drivers from the rain and are designed for safe and easy charging.

The AWV sets an objective to encourage electric mobility by making space available along its highway network to build and operate electric charging infrastructure. Fastned will continue to respond to tenders with the goal to provide EV drivers in Belgium and in Europe with a high-quality and comprehensive fast charging network along key corridors.

Fastned has an unparalleled track record of winning tenders for high traffic locations, especially on major motorways across Europe. As its network expands, Fastned offers electric drivers more opportunities to charge and quickly continue their journey. 

In Belgium, Fastned currently has 19 operational fast charging stations and 24 locations under development. Construction of the Gentbrugge stations is planned to begin in 2024.      

“This newly won tender shows the confidence the Flemish road authority has in our fast charging concept and is a tribute to the expertise we have developed over the past decade in the European market. We are proud that we are given the opportunity to also provide coffee and facilities to our customers at these locations!”, said Tuur De Coninck, Country Manager Belgium at Fastned. 

Michiel Langezaal, CEO of Fastned, shares: “We are committed to providing Belgian and European electric drivers with a reliable, high-quality charging network that's accessible to all, giving freedom to drive anywhere. Winning one of the most important tenders in Europe so far this year, shows how Fastned is time and again able to win important locations to further expand its network. Each new tender we win brings us closer to our goal of 1,000 large stations on our network by 2030."