Roam raises £65m debt facility

National Wealth Fund, NatWest and Triodos Bank UK back Denham Capital company

Roam, an operator of electric vehicle infrastructure, has raised £65m in one of the first corporate debt deals for UK EV fast-charging. 

The debt has been provided by a consortium of three established lenders – the National Wealth Fund, NatWest and Triodos Bank UK. 

The funds will accelerate installation of Roam’s UK destination charging sites, advancing the roll-out of its 40,000-strong pipeline, which includes 5,500 charging points already under exclusivity. Roam has already installed 3,000 UK charging points. Roam has partnerships with British brands such as QHotels and David Lloyd.

Roam, a Denham Capital portfolio company, installs and manages alternating current (AC) – or fast-charging – points in places where people park as part of their lifestyle, for example at workplaces, hotels, residential flats and shopping and leisure centres. This enables a ‘charge while you park’ approach, an important part of the UK EV charging network alongside ‘park to charge’ direct current (DC) – or rapid-charging, giving EV owners more flexibility and choice. 

The debt provided by the National Wealth Fund, NatWest, and Triodos Bank UK, and with advisory from EY, builds on Roam’s existing backing from Funds managed by Denham Sustainable Infrastructure, an arm of global power and infrastructure firm, Denham Capital. 

Chief executive officer of Roam, James Randall, said: “We’re delighted to have the support of these major and trusted lenders, which is a credit to the growing institutional investor confidence in the business case for investing in the zero-emission transportation industry. This debt facility will allow us to respond to geographical demand patterns for EV charging across the UK, providing reliable, affordable and easily accessible infrastructure to give our customers the reassurance they need to join the electric vehicle revolution.”

Managing director at Denham Sustainable Infrastructure, Sarah Lane, said: “With lower capital requirements and higher returns than direct current charging alternatives, Roam’s focus on accessible AC charging infrastructure presents a strong investment case that delivers on both financial and environmental sustainability. This raise represents the latest step in the business’ journey, supporting Denham’s backing to allow Roam to continue to grow alongside the UK’s rapidly evolving electric vehicle industry.”

Commenting on the National Wealth Fund’s contribution, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said: “We are renewing Britain by investing in our infrastructure and public services, building an economy that works for, and rewards, working people. This deal, with £25m backing from the National Wealth Fund, will strengthen our electric vehicle industry. With thousands more charging points installed in more parts of the country for drivers to use, connectivity between our towns and cities will be improved – a key ingredient for kickstarting economic growth.”

Head of banking and investments at the National Wealth Fund, Ian Brown, said: “Decarbonising the transport system cannot happen without transitioning to electric vehicles and so it’s important that drivers can access fast and reliable charging where and when they need it. The National Wealth Fund’s investment directly supports government ambitions to decarbonise UK roads, helping to make charging more convenient for EV drivers while out and about and supporting petrol and diesel drivers to make the switch to electric.”

Head of energy transition at NatWest, Bruce Riley, said: “We are determined to play an active role in the UK’s transition to a low carbon economy, and accelerating the take up of electric vehicles is a crucial part of this journey. That is why we are delighted to support Roam with financing that will accelerate the deployment of fast-charging electric vehicle infrastructure across the UK.”

Head of energy and project finance at Triodos Bank UK, Amandine Tetot, said: “As a sustainable bank, all our focus is on financing positive change in society. The transport and energy sectors are areas we focus on because they require systemic change to transition to a greener, more sustainable future. Investment in the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles across the country will help more people travel in a low-carbon, cleaner way. We are proud to support Roam in expanding their charging points to help make this transition a reality.”