Podcast: Fastned's bet on the electric future
MobilityPlaza sat down with Tom Hurst, UK Country Director at Fastned, to talk grid constraints, the CPO versus energy major debate, payment trends, and the projects shaping the future of fast charging in Britain.
In the podcast, Fastned's Tom Hurst made clear what he sees as the structural advantage of the pure-play CPO model: while energy majors entering charging face investor pressure tied to oil and gas KPIs, Fastned's focus has never divided. The CPO is growing its network and improving results. Fastned reported €39.2 million in charging revenue for Q1 2026, up 40% year-on-year, backed by an accelerating European EV market with almost nine million electric vehicles now registered across its nine active markets. Annualized revenue per station reached €387,000 in Q1 2026, up from €325,000 a year earlier, with the network now standing at 418 stations across Europe after eight new openings in the quarter.
Hurst was equally direct about where the UK fits into Fastned's broader story. That philosophy is visible in two projects taking shape right now. The Aberdeen hub, which converts a legacy warehouse on the Scottish city's inner ring road into a drive-through facility with ten ultra-rapid chargers, retail and full amenities, is in its final design phase and on track for construction before year-end. In London, the Places for London joint venture with TfL's property arm is targeting up to 25 hubs across the capital, drawing on a land portfolio spanning station car parks and railway arches. Both projects take inspiration from Fastned's European flagship, Gentbrugge in Belgium, a full-service, zero-emissions rest area with 16 ultra-rapid 400kW chargers per side of the highway, a restaurant, 24/7 shop, showers, play area and dedicated truck charging, Fastned serving around 26 million vehicles annually.
Tom Hurst
Hurst is UK Country Director at Fastned, the Dutch fast charging company he joined in 2017 with a mandate to build the business from the ground up in Britain. Under his leadership, Fastned has grown from its first ultra-rapid hub in Sunderland to a nationwide network of 38 stations, consistently rated among the top charging networks in the country by Zap-Map users and What Car? readers alike. His most significant recent milestone is a joint venture with Places for London, TfL's property company, to develop and operate ultra-rapid charging hubs across the capital. Before Fastned, Tom spent six years at Arup advising cities, governments and corporates on energy systems and climate strategy. He holds a Master's in Mechanical Engineering, an MSc in Sustainable Energy, an MBA, and is a Chartered Environmentalist.
"We didn't inherit the best locations in the market, but we've got a product that's been stress tested now for years with a dedicated leadership, a dedicated investor base, and a very clear business proposition that enables us to focus on exactly this part of the market."
"I increasingly am of the view that Fastned UK's role — the role of my team here in the UK — is to be the folks that innovate and prove new concepts."
