A new whitepaper exploring the value of electric vehicle charging to the hospitality industry has been published by RAW Charging.
As the leading UK provider of EV charging solutions to the hospitality sector, RAW Charging’s new whitepaper, ‘POWERING UP THE GUEST EXPERIENCE: The importance of EV charging for your guest journey from RAW Charging’, explores the transformative role EV charging infrastructure plays within luxury venues and hotels – highlighting both the business opportunity and guest experience enhancement it offers.
With over 1.3 million fully electric vehicles on UK roads (2024) and projections estimating that 55% of all vehicles will be electric by 2030, the whitepaper reveals a significant gap in the hospitality sector’s readiness.
Currently, only 8% of the UK’s public EV charging points are located at hotels, with many of those not reaching suitability levels – in terms of reliability and reaching newly released government legislation. This imbalance represents both a challenge and an opportunity for the industry.
The report includes a foreword from Simon Numphud, Managing Director at AA Hotel and Hospitality Services, who said the report was a vital read and that EV charging was now an essential part of a modern hotel offering.
The report goes on to outline how hotels and venues are investing in quality EV charging solutions to not only enhance sustainability credentials, but also unlock new ancillary revenue streams and improve customer experience, ultimately strengthening their competitive edge. By delivering seamless, reliable, and user-friendly charging experiences, hotels can attract and retain a growing demographic of guests who increasingly expect accessible EV charging as a standard amenity.
Jason Simpson, CEO of RAW Charging, said: “The hospitality industry has arrived at a pivotal moment in its sustainability journey. Our new whitepaper underscores the importance of EV charging as an extension of the guest experience and a critical business driver. We are proud to support hotels in becoming destinations of choice for EV drivers by providing fully funded, turnkey charging solutions that enhance guest satisfaction, future-proof properties and generate additional revenue.”
Key insights from the whitepaper include:
● Details on new legislation, effective from November 2024, which mandates updated requirements for public charge points over 8kW, with fines of up to £10,000 for non-compliance.
● The crucial need for hotels to offer reliable and high-quality EV charging to meet guest expectations and regulatory requirements, with the legislation mandating 99% charger uptime and contactless payments.
● Highlights research showing that nearly half of EV drivers refuse to stay at hotels without EV charging, making infrastructure a significant factor in booking decisions
● The financial impact on hotels without EV charging, with potential losses of up to £142 per night per available room
● Regional disparities in EV infrastructure across the UK, presenting strategic opportunities for hotels in underserved locations
Jason added: “We hope this whitepaper can serve as an essential guide for hospitality professionals and hotel and venue owners and operators aiming to align their properties with evolving guest needs and sustainability targets.”
The full whitepaper, ‘Powering Up the Guest Experience’, is available to download now at rawcharging.com/ev-charging-in-hospitality.
