Netherlands to build world's largest network of EV fast-charging stations  

Green technology companies have encountered a lot of headwinds in the past couple of years, but the transition towards electric vehicles is till crawling forwards - Netherlands to build world's largest network of EV fast-charging stations.

By the end of 2015, residents of the Netherlands will be using the world's largest network of electric vehicle fast-chargers, with no charger further away than 50km from any of the country's inhabitants.

A new contract with Fastned and ABB will blanket the Netherlands with more than 200 fast-charging stations over the next two years, using ABB Terra chargers and Fastned stations, which will be covered with solar canopies. The stations will be equipped with 'multi-standard' fast chargers that are said to be capable of charging EVs from all major car brands, topping off the vehicle's batteries in as little as 15 to 30 minutes.

The ABB fast chargers are cloud-connected, offering drivers features such as an easy way to pay for charging, remote assistance and management, and tracking of data and statistics. Each station is said to feature a canopy covered with solar cells to help reduce peak loads on the grid and provide some of the power for charging the vehicles.