Dutch fast-charging operator Fastned has raised an additional €27 million through a bond issue aimed at private investors in Belgium and the Netherlands, bringing its total bond fundraising for 2026 to a record €92 million.
The latest placement is the company’s third bond issue this year. The amount raised in 2026 exceeds the previous annual record of €79 million in 2025, reflecting Fastned’s continued reliance on private investment to finance the expansion of its European charging network.
The outstanding volume of Fastned’s retail bonds has now reached €364 million. The bonds currently carry a five-year maturity and an annual interest rate of 6%. More than 13,000 private investors have participated in the programme, with cumulative investments exceeding €400 million.
Fastned operates 452 charging parks across nine European countries, with another 70 locations under construction. The company has opened 46 new sites so far in 2026 and aims to expand its network to 1,000 charging parks by 2030.
New Charging Parks Require Nearly €1 Million Each
The scale of Fastned’s capital requirements reflects the high upfront costs associated with developing public fast-charging infrastructure.
Each project involves securing suitable land and long-term usage rights, obtaining planning and regulatory approvals, preparing the site and arranging medium-voltage grid connections. Operators must also install transformers and high-power charging equipment before a location can begin generating revenue.
Fastned most recently estimated the initial investment required for a new charging park at €991,000, compared with €892,000 a year earlier.
The company’s spending also extends beyond the physical charging infrastructure. Site development and network expansion activities generate additional costs. Fastned’s Network Expansion Costs reached €34.3 million in 2025, an increase of 48% from the previous year. The company also invested approximately €100 million in network expansion during that period.
Charging Revenue and Operating Profitability Improve
Fastned’s latest operating figures indicate that its expanding network is generating higher revenue.
In the third quarter of 2026, revenue from charging operations increased by 63% year on year to €51.3 million. The company reported an operating EBITDA margin of approximately 45%, reflecting the profitability of its charging operations before accounting for broader investment requirements.
However, operating EBITDA does not capture the full cost of building new charging parks or expanding the network. Fastned reported a loss of €13 million in the first half of 2026.
The company has not yet disclosed a net profit or loss for the third quarter, with its next full financial results scheduled for after the end of the second half of 2026.
Alongside retail bonds, Fastned uses equity and bank financing to support its expansion. In January 2026, it secured a green credit facility of up to €200 million, with participation from lenders including ABN Amro, ING and Rabobank.
Network Utilisation Key to Long-Term Returns
Fastned’s financing strategy reflects the capital-intensive nature of the public fast-charging market. Operators must commit substantial funds to land, grid connections and charging equipment before new sites reach their potential utilisation levels.
As electric vehicle adoption increases, higher charging demand can improve the utilisation of existing infrastructure and spread fixed costs across a greater volume of electricity sold.
Fastned currently reports an average charging-station utilisation rate of 13.5% and aims to increase it to 30%. Achieving that target would improve the revenue generated by its existing network without requiring an equivalent increase in the number of locations.
The latest €27 million bond issue therefore forms part of a broader funding strategy to build out the company’s European footprint. Its long-term financial performance will depend on whether demand for public fast charging grows sufficiently to support the substantial upfront investment required for new sites.