Dutch railway planning rapid electric car charging stations

NS and Fastned reached an agreement on the construction of three fast-charging stations for electric cars on vacant lots in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. NS owns these lots, NU.nl reports. The agreement with NS gives Fastned - currently working on a European network of charging stations along highways - the possibility for several city locations. "It's a good agreement because NS Stations owns various grounds on the outskirts of bigger cities", Fastned directer Michiel Langezaal said said. "We would like to realize fast-charging stations along main roads of cities so that people are no longer dependent on the availability charging poles." In the coming period the Dutch company will investigate and discuss whether more city-stations will be built, not only with NS but also with several municipalities. "We are looking at, among others, Utrecht, Eindhoven and Breda", a spokesperson said. Fastned eventually wants fast-charging station in each Dutch city. "We're starting with the bigger cities. But the negotiations are not going very fast and funding must also still come in." Fastned currently has 50 stations at prime locations along the highway. It takes about 20 minutes to charge an electric car at such a fast-charging station.