Fastned — HPC charging across north-west Europe

Fastned is the yellow-canopy HPC operator headquartered in Amsterdam and present across the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland and the UK. Since founding in 2012 it has built out one of Europe's most consistent HPC networks — every site has the same canopy design, the same payment flow, and (in nearly all cases) 175 kW or higher per stall.

Pricing follows a similar model to Ionity: a higher pay-as-you-go rate, plus a monthly subscription (Fastned Gold) that drops the per-kWh price for frequent users. The network's identity — yellow canopy, solar-panelled roof, no fuel-station-attached layout — has become a recognisable cue on European motorways.

Where Fastned operates

The largest single-country footprint is the Netherlands, where Fastned was founded; the country has effectively a Fastned site at every major motorway interchange. Germany is the second-largest, with a fast-growing network along the Autobahn corridors and at urban hubs. Belgium and France have meaningful but smaller footprints, mostly along the spine routes connecting to the Netherlands and Germany. Switzerland and the UK have smaller pilot networks that are growing.

Site layout is standardised: 4–8 stalls per site, all DC fast-charging, peak power of 175 kW per stall on the original generation and 300 kW on the newer 'Fastned 300' sites. Sites are typically open 24/7, well-lit, and many have a small canopy-side area with a coffee vending machine and a roof of solar panels feeding the grid.

Pricing and the Gold subscription

Fastned's pay-as-you-go tariff sits at the higher end of European norms; the Gold subscription (around €11.99/month) drops the per-kWh rate to a level competitive with the cheapest direct HPC tariffs in the country. The break-even threshold for Gold is around 100–150 kWh/month at Fastned sites — meaningfully lower than Ionity Passport's break-even, because Fastned's pay-as-you-go starts from a higher base.

Gold is month-by-month and can be cancelled at any time, which makes it a common play for one-off road trips through the Netherlands and Germany. As with Ionity, you can subscribe for a month, take your trip, and unsubscribe afterwards.

Roaming and EMSP partners

Fastned supports roaming via the major European EMSPs — Shell Recharge / NewMotion, Plugsurfing, Chargemap, EnBW mobility+, Maingau Auto-Strom, and others. Roaming rates at Fastned sit at the published Fastned pay-as-you-go rate plus a small roaming markup, so for frequent Fastned users the direct app (with Gold) is meaningfully cheaper.

Most carmaker apps (BMW Charging, Mercedes me, VW We Charge, Audi e-tron Charging, Polestar Charge) also include Fastned in their roaming partner list. Check the carmaker tariff vs. Fastned Gold — for some carmakers the negotiated rate is competitive enough that a separate Fastned subscription isn't needed.

Fastned vs. Ionity and Tesla

Coverage-wise, Fastned is strongest in the Netherlands and parts of Germany; Ionity is strongest on the cross-border spine routes through France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria; Tesla Supercharger has the broadest country-by-country coverage. On price, the three are within a few cents per kWh of each other at their respective subscription tariffs.

For a Dutch or Belgian resident, Fastned Gold is usually the right primary because the network density is highest. For German residents, EnBW mobility+ at Ionity / Aral pulse / Allego is often cheaper than Fastned for the same trip — but on routes where Fastned sites dominate, Gold pays back fast.