Aberdeen City Council has given Fastned the go-ahead to build a brand-new ultra-rapid EV charging hub inside one of the city’s warehouses.

The first-of-its-kind hub will have 12 ultra-rapid charging bays, offering drivers up to 100 miles of range in five minutes from 400kW chargers. Expected to open winter 2026, it will also feature a shop, toilets and a seating area inside the building.

The hub will repurpose the Grampian House warehouse, located off Virginia Street, which is part of Aberdeen’s inner city ring road, drastically reducing the development’s environmental impact while upgrading industrial land.

It’s also seen as a big win in terms of EV drivers’ charging experience. The site will feature Fastned’s drive-thru format, similar to that found in petrol stations. This will make it easy for users to drive in and out of charging bays, improve accessibility for any type of vehicle, cut down the time it takes to access the charger, improve the throughput of vehicles onsite, and reduce congestion.

The installation of the charging hub within the existing warehouse structure will keep drivers sheltered from the wind and rain while they charge – this brand-new approach to EV charging has never been done before in the UK in a drive-thru format.

European ultra-rapid charging network Fastned, rated best by drivers in the latest Zapmap rankings, continues to expand in the UK with urban charging hubs – it says there’s a growing need for ultra-rapid charging in cities.

Tom Hurst, UK country director at Fastned, said: “I’m over the moon that Aberdeen City Council has supported our application and given us the green light. This means we can break ground at the site as soon as possible and kick-start this very exciting project. It’s really a revolutionary approach to EV charging and will transform the charging experience for many customers, especially in a part of the country where the weather isn’t always the best.”

Scottish transport secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “This is a really positive development to support Scotland’s vision for public EV charging, and a great example of how public ambition and private sector investment can support the shift to electric vehicles.”