RAW Charging, the leading electric vehicle (EV) chargepoint operator for the hospitality, leisure and retail sectors is pleased to provide a summary of the last year and a look ahead to 2025.
Highlights
- Funded by its existing investors Antin Infrastructure Partners and Bayford Group, RAW has seen significant growth, installing new rapid, ultra rapid and fast EV chargers across the UK and Europe.
- RAW Charging is one of the leading chargepoint operators in the hospitality, leisure and retail sectors by number of chargers working with some globally admired brands including National Trust, Merlin Entertainments, Aviva Investors and abrdn.
- Looking forward to 2025, RAW will continue to fund, install and manage AC and DC chargers for clients across the UK and Europe including for some of its largest clients like National Trust, McArthurGlen and Hammerson.
Strategic delivery
Over the past 18 months the UK has seen a significant shift as more and more new electric vehicles are sold. Indeed, in 2024 1 in 3 new vehicles sold in the UK were electric or hybrid. This is going to increase the requirement for fast, reliable EV charging.
RAW’s strategy revolves around Connecting Amazing Places. This means that RAW has been delivering complex EV charging solutions for some of the UK’s best-known brands and at some of the UK’s largest family destinations. RAW is committed to installing seamless and user-friendly solutions. As the first and last touchpoint for EV-driving customers, RAW Charging ensures an unparalleled experience, tailored to meet the evolving needs of guests, visitors and members across the UK
RAW remains the partner of choice for the hospitality sector. During the last 18 months, RAW has been growing its UK and European network with a focus on the hospitality and leisure sectors, rolling out chargers for Exclusive Hotels as well as many independent hotels across the UK. RAW also became the exclusive EV Charging partner of key industry names such as HOSPA, Small Luxury Hotels, AA Hotels and Hospitality & Visit England and GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation.
As part of RAW’s strategy of Connecting Amazing Places, the Company has a partnership with Merlin Entertainments, installing EV chargers at five of the UK’s top attractions including Chessington World of Adventures Resort and Alton Towers. Visitors to Merlin Entertainments attractions who arrive via EVs can arrive with an empty battery and leave fully charged, making the most of their visit.
In the retail sector, RAW neared completion of its roll-out of electric vehicle chargers for McArthurGlen in the UK and Europe, installing over 450 EV charging bays across the McArthurGlen portfolio. On World EV Day, offering free charging to drivers yet again, RAW achieved its largest-ever day of charging activity, with a 319% increase in charging sessions across its network including a 357% surge at Greene King sites, underscoring the vital role of EV chargers in supporting retailers and enhancing the customer experience.
To meet the increasing demand for electric vehicle charging, RAW is also working with commercial property owners, such as Aviva Investors, abrdn and SEGRO to develop brownfield land into EV Rapid Hubs. RAW currently operates Rapid Hubs throughout the UK including sites in Yorkshire, Leicestershire, Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, Durham, Essex and London.
Outlook for 2025
RAW is well-positioned for another year of exceptional growth. During 2024, RAW was awarded the Gold Award by the Investor in Customers Association. This award is testament to RAW’s ability to deliver for some of the UK’s best known companies and that ability will fuel RAW’s continued growth.
As demand for EV charging infrastructure continues to rise, RAW plans to double the size of its network in 2025, building on an extremely successful 2024. The Company will continue to leverage its fully-funded roll-out to meet the growing needs of the hospitality, leisure, and retail sectors.
Jason Simpson, CEO of RAW Charging, commented: “At RAW Charging, we are focused on enhancing the experience for visitors at the UK’s prime hospitality, leisure and retail destinations. We are now one of the leading operators in this sector, working with some of the UK’s most recognisable names and locations. The team at RAW has been busier than ever, delivering our expansive roll-out of EV chargers across the UK and Europe. As we look ahead, we remain focused on fulfilling our existing contracts while expanding our pipeline of new sites. RAW is seizing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help the UK’s transport sector decarbonize.”
Neal Stone, CEO, Leapstone, said: “As a design and innovation specialist I understand that clever design is integral to great customer experiences. RAW Charging is embracing this approach to help them become the partner of choice to so many Amazing Places. This focus will enable the continued delivery of their strategy.”
Previous customer testimonials:
Helen Bull, divisional director for LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, said: “We are excited about our partnership with RAW Charging, which aligns perfectly with our commitment to environmental stewardship and enhances the visitor experience at LEGOLAND®.”
Simon Numphud, managing director, AA Hotel Services, said: “We are delighted to welcome RAW Charging Group as an AA partner to our hospitality services. With RAW’s leading EV charging solutions and fully funded hospitality-focused offering, we are confident in providing our members with the best services available. There are over 1.5 million electric or hybrid vehicles in the UK and with this set to continue to grow, providing EV charging at your hotel or B&B is becoming more important from a guest perspective.”
Patrick Begg, outdoors and natural resources director at the National Trust, said: “We are committed to working for a healthier and more beautiful natural environment as the land and properties in our care face their biggest threat from climate change. Much of what we look after is rural and reducing the carbon footprint of everyone who travels to our places will be critical to us being able to achieve our climate goals, including to be carbon net-zero by 2030. Installing EV charging points across our nationwide portfolio of places will help build the infrastructure needed to support the transition away from petrol and diesel and support us to fulfil our charitable purpose of caring for special places for everyone, for ever.”
