RAW Charging has launched a 12‑bay ultra‑rapid hub in Forest Hill, south London, featuring six 150kW–300kW units, a MEATliquor hospitality partnership and a week of free charging to mark the site as the first in a planned London and UK rollout with partner Hubber.
RAW Charging has opened a flagship ultra-rapid electric vehicle (EV) hub in Forest Hill, South London, pairing high-power charging with a hospitality-led destination. The site, located at SE23 3HN near Forest Hill station, comprises 12 charging bays and will offer free charging for drivers from Wednesday 20 August 2025 for one week to mark the launch, the company said. RAW says the hub is designed for rapid turnover and high-volume use, and that the opening forms part of a wider rollout of similar RAW Rapid hubs across London and the UK.
The Forest Hill installation is fitted with six ultra-rapid charge units—three rated at 150 kW and three at 300 kW—arranged to serve twelve vehicles simultaneously, including a designated priority bay, according to RAW’s announcement. The hub is integrated with the Dartmouth Arms, the MEATliquor-operated pub at 7 Dartmouth Road, and RAW has said the first 25 drivers each day during the opening promotion will receive MEATliquor vouchers. The site sits roughly 200 metres from Forest Hill station, positioning it on a busy south-east London commuter corridor and aiming to capture both local and passing demand.
The development has been delivered in partnership with Hubber, a specialist real estate and infrastructure platform which, according to its own material, was founded by an ex-Tesla team to convert underutilised urban property into high-powered charging and energy hubs. Industry reporting shows Hubber secured a significant committed investment to accelerate roll‑out: FleetWorld and trade reporting cite a £60 million funding commitment to build an initial pipeline of megawatt-scale urban charging hubs. Trade coverage and Hubber’s public material highlight the company’s focus on turnkey site acquisition, planning and grid connections to remove barriers for charge point operators and support dense urban and fleet charging needs.
RAW and Hubber emphasised speed of delivery and scale. Neil Broadbank, chief commercial officer at RAW Charging, said in the company announcement that “Forest Hill marks the first in a wave of RAW Rapid hubs coming online at key London retail, leisure, and hospitality destinations over the next 12 months,” adding that the site was acquired and brought to operational status in about nine months. Harry Fox, co‑founder and CEO of Hubber, said in the same announcement that “large, high‑powered hubs like Forest Hill play a vital role in enhancing London’s fast, reliable charging network,” and signalled this site as the start of a broader partnership pipeline.
The launch sits against a backdrop of persistent urban charging shortfalls. RAW’s release notes that roughly a quarter of Londoners commute by car; government transport statistics from 2020 show a similar modal share, with around 27% of London residents usually travelling to work by car, underscoring the policy and infrastructure challenge of serving drivers — particularly those without off‑street parking. Industry sources argue that megawatt-capable hubs in town centres and near transport nodes are crucial for meeting growing demand from private drivers, taxi and fleet operators seeking rapid turnaround.
Taken together, the Forest Hill hub represents the growing commercial approach of pairing charging infrastructure with destination hospitality to boost dwell time and user experience while addressing high‑utilisation charging needs. RAW and Hubber present the site as a template for further roll‑out across retail, leisure and urban locations; motorists can expect the introductory free‑charging week and MEATliquor voucher promotion to be the first visible sign of that wider programme.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative is fresh, with the earliest known publication date being August 18, 2025. No earlier versions with different figures, dates, or quotes were found. The content is original and not recycled from other sources. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The direct quotes from Neil Broadbank and Harry Fox are unique to this report, with no identical matches found in earlier material. This suggests the content is original or exclusive.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative originates from Retail Times, a UK-based publication. While it is a trade publication, it is not as widely recognised as major outlets like the BBC or Reuters. Therefore, the reliability is considered medium-high.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about the Forest Hill hub’s features and the partnership with Hubber are plausible and align with other reports. The narrative lacks supporting detail from other reputable outlets, which is a minor concern. The language and tone are consistent with the region and topic.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is fresh, original, and based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. The quotes are unique, and the source, while not as widely recognised as major outlets, is a UK-based trade publication. The claims are plausible, with minor concerns about the lack of supporting detail from other reputable outlets. Overall, the narrative passes the fact-check with high confidence.
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