<\/p>\n
RAW Charging has launched a 12\u2011bay ultra\u2011rapid hub in Forest Hill, south London, featuring six 150kW\u2013300kW 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The Forest Hill installation is fitted with six ultra-rapid charge units\u2014three rated at 150 kW and three at 300 kW\u2014arranged to serve twelve vehicles simultaneously, including a designated priority bay, according to RAW\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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\u2011out: FleetWorld and trade reporting cite a \u00a360 million funding commitment to build an initial pipeline of megawatt-scale urban charging hubs. Trade coverage and Hubber\u2019s public material highlight the company\u2019s focus on turnkey site acquisition, planning and grid connections to remove barriers for charge point operators and support dense urban and fleet charging needs.<\/p>\n
RAW and Hubber emphasised speed of delivery and scale. Neil Broadbank, chief commercial officer at RAW Charging, said in the company announcement that \u201cForest 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,\u201d adding that the site was acquired and brought to operational status in about nine months. Harry Fox, co\u2011founder and CEO of Hubber, said in the same announcement that \u201clarge, high\u2011powered hubs like Forest Hill play a vital role in enhancing London\u2019s fast, reliable charging network,\u201d and signalled this site as the start of a broader partnership pipeline.<\/p>\n
The launch sits against a backdrop of persistent urban charging shortfalls. RAW\u2019s 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 \u2014 particularly those without off\u2011street 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.<\/p>\n
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\u2011utilisation charging needs. RAW and Hubber present the site as a template for further roll\u2011out across retail, leisure and urban locations; motorists can expect the introductory free\u2011charging week and MEATliquor voucher promotion to be the first visible sign of that wider programme.<\/p>\n