How to run an EV charging network: mastering land, plugs and software
Discover how the UK's leading rapid charging network, Osprey Charging, delivers its popular charging hubs, strategically located from Land's End to John O'Groats.
In 2024, the UK overtook Germany to become Europe's largest electric vehicle (EV) market. Fully electric vehicles now account for over 20 per cent of new car sales and 4 per cent of all vehicles on our roads, with this number set to rise. With ambitious government targets and substantial private investment in infrastructure set to continue, the UK is becoming a leader in the global EV revolution.
The vast majority of the public charging stations that will become the backbone of EV refuelling are funded with private investment by nationwide charging networks such as Osprey Charging. These are the rapid charge points (adding 100 miles of range to a car's battery in as little as 10 minutes) that fleets and high-mileage vehicles will rely on for everyday use, and private drivers for longer journeys.
Operating a network of grid-connected, consumer-facing charge points is a relatively new type of business. Here's how Best of British Business 2025 company Osprey Charging delivers one of the UK's largest and most popular rapid EV charging networks.
Land
Across 2023 and 2024, Osprey deployed more rapid charging infrastructure than any other network in the UK, bringing its total network to 1,300 charging bays. Charging hubs, featuring six or more high-powered (150kW+) chargers, are preferred by drivers for maximising availability and providing a dedicated charging space, and can be future-proofed for expansion as demand grows.
Knowing where to build these high-power hubs is a particular strength of the business, which has had data in its DNA since inception. Hub sites cost millions of pounds to develop, so optimising return is crucial for investors. Thanks to an ever-improving proprietary assessment model, as well as in-house expertise in grid and development, Osprey makes informed decisions about location, size and design of hubs. This data-driven approach ensures Osprey selects locations that offer high footfall, strong grid connectivity and long-term commercial viability, making it a preferred partner for major institutional landlords such as Legal & General, as well as retailers such as Burger King and Starbucks.
Osprey also buys freehold land on which to develop and operate flagship hubs, where end-to-end control and design can produce award-winning customer experience. The award-winning Salmon's Leap Super-hub, for example, at Buckfastleigh on the Devon Expressway, is a rural oasis where Osprey created a partnership with a local farm shop, supporting local businesses, and giving river access to local watersports enthusiasts, demonstrating its commitment to sustainable infrastructure that enhances both EV charging and the surrounding community.
Plugs
Each of Osprey's hubs has a dedicated high-voltage grid connection, equivalent to powering 600-700 homes. To maximise the number of charge points on each grid connection and therefore serve more customers, Osprey installs dynamic load-balancing technology. Through this technology, the total available power is centralised and distributed via the high-power satellite chargers to the vehicles as they need it in real time. As a result, no power is wasted and the power delivered is maximised, making the most efficient use of the available grid connection. Osprey was the first to introduce this innovative solution to the UK.
Furthermore, the customer experience is quicker and better with more charge points available, and revenue is optimised by delivering the greatest amount of power to the greatest number of customers at any one time. Osprey's pioneering approach to dynamic load-balancing also ensures that each hub can be scaled to support more EVs without requiring costly grid reinforcements, keeping pace with the growing demand for public charging.
Software
With hundreds of sites nationwide and thousands of customers every day, Osprey enjoys absolute control and quality thanks to its proprietary software platform, Osprey Iris. This is critical as the business scales rapidly, both in charge point numbers and transactions processed. As a key differentiator, Osprey Iris gives in-house control of charge point management, extensive data and customer accounts, and therefore flexibility to provide the best experience for all types of driver, and to develop these over the long-term.
There are several advantages of having this control and software development in-house. For example, Osprey directly integrates with fleet billing systems and payment services of all sizes easily, from Motability Operations to Octopus Electroverse to British Gas, driving significant revenue from high-mileage vehicles. Osprey can choose to install any charge point hardware as the market develops, actively maintaining the best user experience.
Network health, security and emerging customer pain points are closely and easily monitored, with live diagnosis and solutions. Analysis and insights gained from proprietary data is used on a daily basis to inform customer strategy. Osprey Iris has significant commercial potential too, as charging-as-a-service offerings become more mature in the growing charging network market. For fleet operators, businesses and commercial landlords looking to enter the EV charging market, Osprey Iris offers a scalable, ready-made solution.
Running a rapid charging network is complex. Osprey Charging combines a unique blend of data-led strategy, advanced hardware and software and in-house expertise to ensure both operational efficiency and a high-quality experience for all drivers. This strategy has paid off with Osprey winning numerous industry awards including Chargepoint Network of the Year in both 2023 and 2024 at the Electric Vehicle Innovation and Excellence awards, and Best EV Charging Network 2023 and 2024 at the Transport and Energy awards.
Recognised as a Best of British Business in 2024, Osprey continues to lead the charge in delivering a world-class charging network, making it a key player in the UK's electric vehicle transition. With further expansion planned for 2025, including new ultra-rapid hubs and enhanced fleet integrations, Osprey continues to set the standard for a reliable, customer-first charging experience.
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