Newcastle International Airport has announced it will apply for planning permission for a new ultra-rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging forecourt.
Based on airport land at Callerton Parkway, just off the A696, the hub will have 12 charging bays offering up to 400kW of renewable power.
The hub would be built in partnership with Fastned with a hope to open in 2024.
Each charger will be supplied with electricity from visible solar canopies on the hub’s roof.
“The Airport recently unveiled a road map to become a Net Zero Carbon Airport by the year 2035. As part of our journey, we have been working on some very ambitious projects, including a solar farm to supply the Airport with renewable energy and replacing all of the Airport’s fleet of vehicles with electric models,” said Nick Jones, chief executive at Newcastle International Airport.
“As part of this strategy, providing access to a rapid charging facility for our customers and stakeholders that regularly use the Airport site was a priority therefore, we are delighted to be able to announce this project in collaboration with Fastned.”
To simplify drivers’ driving experiences, Fastned recently released a new EV-charging-station-finding Apple CarPlay app which it said was the “most asked-for feature” by its customers.
Tom Hurst, UK country Manager for Fastned added: “This project will help redevelop an under-utilised vehicle storage facility into a world-class EV charging hub – providing much needed infrastructure for the local community.
“We look forward to working with the local community and authorities to get the site up and running and bringing drivers the charging experience they deserve. Our UK operations started in the North East, at Sunderland in 2019, and we are incredibly proud to be taking things to the next level here in Newcastle.”