Free, life-long EV charging for investors in recharge station

Fastned is raising funds to expand its fast-charging EV station network by offering investors free charging for life.

The electric vehicle (EV) market has been helped by recent innovations which make the recharging infrastructure more convenient and affordable. In Berlin, Ubitricity’s mobile charging device can retrofit lampposts and enable EV drivers to charge wherever they need, while Gogoro’s Smartscooter is powered by swappable electric batteries, which allow it to recharge in six seconds.

Now, Fastned is raising funds to expand its fast-charging station network by offering investors free charging for life. The Amsterdam-based company has just launched the Fastned Founders Club, giving membership to any founding investor purchasing a minimum of 2,500 shares in the company, priced at EUR 10 each.

Fastned already has 34 stations throughout the Netherlands and — building at a rate of one per week — expect to have 200 in the next two years. The roadside stations are modeled on regular gas stations, with multiple chargers, rather than single posts. Charging takes approximately 15 minutes and is managed via a smartphone app which automatically bills users for their session, enabling EV drivers to recharge en route and continue with their journey with very little inconvenience. The EU has also committed to funding 155 more stations across Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Holland — with Fastned set to build 94 of these — which would expand the EV charging infrastructure dramatically.

How else could electric vehicles be made more attractive to consumers?