£65m Debt Deal Marks EV Charging’s Big Moment

Roam’s £65m debt raise marks a turning point, showing UK EV charging is now seen as stable, bankable infrastructure

12 Jan 2026

The UK’s electric vehicle charging sector is beginning to attract large-scale debt finance, signalling a shift from early-stage experimentation to a more established infrastructure market.

Roam, a fast-growing charging network operator, has secured £65mn in debt financing to support the rollout of up to 40,000 charging points across the country. The deal reflects growing confidence among lenders that EV charging networks can generate steady, long-term returns.

The financing will mainly be used for destination charging, which involves lower-power alternating current chargers installed at offices, apartment buildings, hotels and retail sites. These chargers allow drivers to recharge vehicles while parked for extended periods, rather than relying solely on rapid direct current chargers used on motorways for long-distance travel.

Roam said the model is designed to complement, rather than replace, high-speed charging hubs, with both types of infrastructure needed to support wider EV adoption.

NatWest and Triodos Bank are among the lenders participating in the deal, alongside the UK’s National Wealth Fund. Their involvement suggests that mainstream banks are increasingly willing to treat charging networks as bankable infrastructure assets, rather than speculative clean technology projects.

A representative from NatWest said the transaction showed that well-structured charging platforms with predictable revenues could now support institutional lending. Banks typically favour assets with stable cash flows, and their entry into the sector marks a change in how EV charging is assessed.

The shift towards debt financing could have wide effects across the industry. Debt is generally cheaper than equity, allowing operators to expand networks more quickly while lowering overall capital costs. It also places greater pressure on companies to demonstrate disciplined site selection, reliable utilisation rates and long-term agreements with landlords and commercial partners.

For consumers, increased access to lower-cost capital could translate into faster deployment of chargers, particularly in residential and workplace locations where provision remains uneven.

However, risks remain. EV adoption rates, competition for high-quality sites and volatile power prices continue to influence returns. As networks expand, some areas may also face oversupply, squeezing margins.

Analysts say such challenges are typical of a sector moving into a more mature phase. If the Roam deal is replicated, EV charging could increasingly resemble other forms of regulated or contracted infrastructure, embedded into the UK’s transport and energy systems.