Sunderland AFC opens 20-bay EV charging hub in north-east England
The football team Sunderland AFC has partnered with RAW Charging to open what the companies describe as the north-east's largest public EV charging hub. The new facility at the Stadium of Light features 20 ultra-rapid charging bays, including 16 rated at 150 kW and four capable of up to 300 kW.
Image: RAW Charging
The new charging hub is being delivered under the football club’s Ready Eco sustainability scheme and will be powered entirely by renewable energy. RAW Energy is investing around £750,000 in the project and will fund, operate, and maintain the charging infrastructure.
According to the partners, the chargers will be available to Sunderland supporters and visitors as well as the wider public. They’ll also support contactless payments and major EV charging apps, while drivers signed up to RAW Rewards will be able to charge for free on 8 and 9 October following the hub’s opening.
Paul Kingsmore, Chief Operations Officer, Sunderland AFC, commented: “At Sunderland AFC, we are committed to making a real difference through our Ready Eco programme, and this partnership with RAW Charging is another step towards achieving our sustainability ambitions. By installing a state-of-the-art EV charging hub at the Stadium of Light, we are not only improving the experience for fans and visitors but also supporting the wider transition to cleaner, greener transport in the North East.”
The opening of the hub marks another new site for RAW Charging, which continues to expand its network across the UK. Most recently, the charging network opened new hubs at what it calls “major” leisure and hospitality venues across the country – including a flagship site at Bluewater shopping centre in Kent. Jason Simpson, CEO of RAW Charging, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Sunderland AFC to deliver the largest EV charging hub in the North East. This project is a major new facility for the city and aligns perfectly with our mission to support sustainable travel.
One thing that’s worth highlighting: both Sunderland AFC and RAW Energy have billed the new site as the “north-east’s largest EV charging hub”. While it’s accurate to say it’s the largest charging hub currently operational, it’s certainly not the largest planned in the region. That title could soon go to a 30-bay InstaVolt hub planned for Holystone Park in North Tyneside, which secured planning permission in January 2025 – although this is still in development with no word yet on an opening date.
