Earlier this month (July 2025) the UK Government announced a new £650 million Electric Car Grant (ECG), marking a pivotal moment for the hospitality industry. With discounts of up to £3,750 now available on many new electric vehicles priced under £37,000, the transition to EV ownership will accelerate rapidly - and hotels must respond.

For boutique and luxury hoteliers, the implications are clear: EV charging is no longer a future consideration, it’s a current guest expectation. And for those yet to act, this latest incentive package signals an urgent need to catch up.

Despite there being over 1.3 million EVs now on UK roads, just 8% of the country’s 37,000 public charge points are located at hotels. This under-serves a high-value audience. Research also shows 48% of EV drivers will not book a hotel without on-site charging. For properties targeting domestic leisure or business travellers, a lack of provision means not just lost bookings, but lost ancillary revenue.

“Hotels play a crucial role in the nation’s EV infrastructure,” says Jason Simpson, CEO of RAW Charging, the leading EV charging destination provider in the UK. “With this new grant reducing cost barriers to ownership, we expect a sharp uptick in EV travel. Properties that fail to offer reliable, user-friendly charging will increasingly fall off guests’ consideration lists.”

Importantly, the bar is now higher than simply “having a charger”. Guests expect a high-quality, seamless experience. That includes 99%+ uptime, contactless payments, and simple functionality without app downloads – all of which are now mandated under UK regulations for public chargers over 8kW.

Yet many hospitality venues remain reliant on legacy infrastructure that fails on both compliance and guest experience. Those who self-install can find themselves locked into costly maintenance issues or outdated tech. That’s why more hotels are turning to fully funded, service-led models like RAW Charging’s. Backed by ChargePoint, the world’s largest EV charging network, RAW installs, manages and maintains the full system at no cost to the hotel – and with zero operational hassle.

With 55% of UK vehicles projected to be electric by 2030, and this latest government incentive designed to bring that tipping point closer, the window for hotels to stand out – and cash in – is now.

The question isn’t whether your hotel should offer EV charging; it’s what you’re missing by not having it.

To find out how RAW Charging can help your business, get in touch