Fastned opens first high-power charging hub as part of Deutschlandnetz

With the so-called Deutschlandnetz, Germany's Ministry of Transport had invited tenders to install 8,000 fast-charging points at 900 sites. Fastned has opened its first location in the town of Düren, North-Rhine Westphalia.

The site is on the busy A4 motorway between Aachen and Cologne’s populous centres. The Dutch provider installed four charge points capable of delivering up to 400 kW.

A roof and lighting with catering and sanitary facilities are also being implemented. The BMDV expects the construction of up to eight further HPC points for the Düren charging park.

Fastned won two bids for Deutschlandnetz in September, valid for 92 so-called search areas, that is, transport routes, in West and South West Germany.

Generally, each lot bundles attractive sites per region and those that, according to forecasts, will be less frequented. This is to close large gaps on the charging map. The ministry adds the 900 locations take into account the existing fast-charging infrastructure and the expected number of electric cars.

The federal Transport Ministry awarded 23 regional lots to 10 successful bidders in September—funding totals 1.9 billion euros.

Other winners include Statkraft’s Mer Germany and another Norwegian company, Eviny. The German utility E.On is also among the contractors, alongside BayWa Mobility Solutions or Pfalzwerke. Total Energies and Allego charging stations will also become part of Deutschlandnetz.

Incidentally, the two Dutch companies, Allego and Fastned, have been awarded the contract, even though both were involved in a lawsuit against Deutschlandnetz last year. Fastned does not mention this fact in its announcement.

Minister Volker Wissing said he was “very pleased about this rapid initial commissioning after we awarded the contracts for the German network at the end of September 2023. The German network will now grow step by step.”

bmdv.bund.de (in German)