UK EV drivers will benefit from new charging locations, as Fastned and Be.EV are opening new charging hubs in Glasgow and Manchester, respectively.
Fastned has opened a new EV charging location in Greenock, west of Glasgow. This new rapid EV charging hub features four ultra-rapid charging bays, which are able to provide drivers with as much as 100 miles of range in just five minutes. The company has stated that the site has the capacity to add an additional four ultra-rapid charging bays, although it has not stated if or when it plans to add these additional bays.
This opening means that Fastned now operates 33 EV charging hubs across the UK. The Greenock development is the company’s third EV charging hub in the west of Scotland and its fifth charging hub in Scotland overall.
The hub is powered by 100% renewable energy, some of which comes from the large solar canopy over the charging hub. Fastned notes that as well as providing renewable energy to the onsite chargers, the distinctive canopy also keeps drivers dry while charging and serves as a key visual landmark for those trying to find the site.
The company also adds that the location of the site provides ultra-rapid charging facilities in an area where few currently exist, adding that the site will be “a lifeline” to both locals and tourists in the coming busy summer months.
Tom Hurst, UK country director for Fastned, said that the firm is “delighted” to be opening its fifth Scottish charging hub. Hurst also hinted at further EV hub plans, urging drivers to “watch this space” for future developments.
Be.EV opens Manchester Oasis
Meanwhile, further south, Be.EV has announced that it has officially opened its Manchester Charging Oasis. The company revealed in April that it had invested £4 million into the project, which has seen a neglected petrol station revamped into a modern EV charging hub.
The Failsworth petrol station, which was left abandoned and derelict for 15 years, has now been converted into the Manchester Charging Oasis, which features 12 ultra-rapid charging bays that can deliver up to 300kW, which can add as much as 325 miles of range to an EV in the space of just 20 minutes.
Of the 12 bays, two are extra long to accommodate vans, and one is described as an accessible bay for disabled drivers. The site also features four waiting bays for those queuing for charging capacity, and an on-site coffee shop for customers to use while their vehicles charge.
In a LinkedIn post announcing the opening of the charging hub, Be.EV described the Charging Oasis as “a true story of sustainable regeneration for the Manchester community.” The company added that the site has been “transformed into a green community hub for residents, commuters, and all EV owners in the area to experience a fresh take on EV charging.”
Following a comprehensive decontamination process, including the removal of the old petrol tanks and restoring the soil to safe conditions, the site has been officially certified as a green site by Manchester City Council, making it one of the first former petrol stations in the UK to be repurposed for clean energy use. The site is located on a key commuter route between Manchester and Oldham, and Be.EV states that it expects the site to serve over 26,000 daily commuters.
