New Fastned sites open in Germany and Switzerland

The fast-charging provider Fastned has expanded its charging network with three new locations. The first new charging hub was built as part of the Deutschlandnetz. This is located at the Löwenburg parking area on the A2 near Porta Westfalica. Two additional locations were commissioned in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland.

Fastned ladestation charging station deutschlandnetz porta westfalica min — Image: Die Autobahn GmbH des Bundes

As part of the Deutschlandnetz, four operators were awarded contracts in February 2024 to install almost 1,000 fast-charging points at 200 unattended rest areas. The contracts went to E.ON, the Autostrom Nord bidding consortium (Autostrom plus), TotalEnergies, and Fastned. The Dutch company secured one of six lots, covering 34 locations.

The first fast-charging site from the highway lot at the Neufelder Heide-Süd rest area went into operation in July of this year. In September, two additional locations opened in northern Germany, specifically at the Jalm and Jalmer Moor parking areas along the A7 in the state of Schleswig-Holstein. The federal Autobahn GmbH has now announced that another charging hub has launched at the Löwenburg parking area near Porta Westfalica.

The new Fastned location on the A2 toward Dortmund features three Alpitronic Hyperchargers of the HYC400, thus offering a total of six charging points. Each point delivers a minimum charging power of 200 kW, with a peak capacity of up to 400 kW. As at all its Deutschlandnetz locations, Fastned also charges 0.73 euros/kWh here – both via its own app and ad hoc with debit or credit card.

At first glance, the new charging hub may not be immediately recognisable as a Fastned site. At the three prior highway locations, the company has already dispensed with its typical roof design. However, the branding on the charging stations still reflects the distinctive Fastned aesthetic. For the regional lots within the Deutschlandnetz, the familiar design remains unchanged.

Outside the Deutschlandnetz, Fastned continues to use its iconic roof design. This includes the first two Fastned locations in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland. The new charging hubs at the Lavorgo Nord and Süd rest areas feature Fastned’s characteristic yellow canopies. Each site is equipped with two Alpitronic HYC400 units, each providing two CCS connectors (up to 400 kW) and one CHAdeMO connector (up to 50 kW). Customers pay 0.73 Swiss francs (approximately 0.78 euros) per kilowatt-hour.

Fastned ladestation charging station schweiz switzerland lavorgo min

Image: Fastned

According to Fastned, the two new charging locations are “strategically significant.” Located directly in front of the southern portal of the Gotthard Tunnel, these sites connect Fastned’s charging network in Switzerland with Italy. “They position the company along one of Europe’s most critical traffic corridors, perfectly complementing the European charging infrastructure,” the company states.

However, the two Lavorgo locations are not Fastned’s first in Switzerland. They join eleven other Fastned sites across the country, all part of the ASTRA tender for fast-charging stations at rest areas along national roads. Out of 100 tendered rest areas, Fastned was awarded contracts for 20 locations in 2019.

As early as November, the company plans to open another location in the municipality of Kloten. This will be the first site in Switzerland to include a kiosk and restrooms, and it is not part of the ASTRA network.

autobahn.de (Porta Westfalica; in German), fastnedcharging.com (Lavorgo; in Italian)

This article was first published by Daniel Bönnighausen for electrive’s German edition.