Osprey more than doubled its number of rapid EV chargers

With a strong final quarter that saw it install 11 ultra-rapid charging hubs across the country, including Carmarthen, Workington, and Wisbech, as well as being voted Top three in the annual Zapmap rankings for en-route charging networks (its fourth year earning the ‘Driver Recommended Network’ title), 2023 was Osprey’s most successful year to date.

Osprey's accomplishments were recognised last month, winning Best EV Charging Network at the Transport and Energy awards, closely followed by a quadruple win at the Electric Vehicle Innovation and Excellence Awards (EVIEs), including Chargepoint Network of the Year and Private Sector Infrastructure Strategy of the Year.

In April Osprey’s CEO, Ian Johnston, was appointed Chair of the newly formed trade association for the UK’s EV charging industry Charge UK. The following month Osprey opened the largest ultra-rapid EV charging hub in the south-west: a 16-bay dedicated EV re-charging location at Salmon’s Leap, Buckfastleigh on the A38 Devon Expressway. The time taken from acquiring the land to launching the site was under a year and the site was recognised at the EVIEs, winning Charging Destination of the Year.

In 2023, the Osprey network grew 150% thanks to their ambitious hub programme. This saw the installation of, amongst other locations, eight charge points at the Brewpoint Brewery in Bedfordshire just off the A6, and the introduction of eight points at the Gamston Lock pub and restaurant in Nottinghamshire.

This year also saw Osprey announce a series of key collaborations. Just last week, Osprey announced the first of its new rapid charging locations developed in collaboration with Starbucks UK. The partnership will see Osprey and Starbucks UK working together to develop reliable and conveniently located charging stations across the country. This three-point location in Aberdeen will be followed by a new site at the at the St Johns Retail Park in Bedford.

Osprey was also selected by real estate investment trust Supermarket REIT to install rapid EV charging hubs across the fund’s portfolio of omnichannel supermarkets, significantly improving the convenience of public EV charging for millions of customers of major retail brands such as Morrisons and Tesco.

The company also partnered with Dacorum Council to install 30 rapid and ultra-rapid EV chargers at eight public car parks across Dacorum, bringing a major boost to public EV infrastructure within the Hertfordshire borough.

In addition, Motability Operations, the organisation that delivers the Motability Scheme to over 690,000 disabled people, chose Osprey as their first charge point operator (CPO) partner.

Osprey’s commitment to innovation didn’t stop there, with a refreshed app introduced in November. Underpinned by Osprey’s Iris software platform, the Osprey App provides drivers with an enhanced payment and charging experience, as well as access to new Hatch Card rewards. The Hatch Card programme gives drivers the chance to win prizes such as free kWhs every time they charge 25kWh+ through the Osprey app.

Ian Johnston, CEO of Osprey Charging, said: “Reflecting on 2023, I am immensely proud of the Osprey Charging story. Our mission to grow and redefine the EV charging landscape with consistently high-quality and easy-to-use locations and charge points has reached new heights with the deployment of 1,000 high-power EV charging points across the UK, more than doubling our network.

“The year has been transformative, solidifying our position not only as the UK’s leading and fastest-growing EV rapid-charging network but also as a symbol of reliable and accessible public EV charging for residents, businesses, and visitors across the UK. I extend my gratitude to the Osprey team, our valued partners, and our loyal customers. As we enter 2024, Osprey will remain steadfast in our vision to enable mass EV uptake through charge point installation, operation and maintenance.”