From this autumn, our new name will be ‘Osprey’

 

We’re delighted today to announce our intention to re-name both the company and our charging network to ‘Osprey’ in the autumn of 2020. Until the launch of Osprey, we will continue to operate as Osprey Charging.

You can find a full list of FAQs at the bottom of this article.

We are at a tipping point both as a company and as an industry. Pure EV sales are up over 130% year-on-year [SMMT vehicle data: Car registrations], nearly 75% of car buyers are considering an EV as their next vehicle [Auto Trader Market Report 2019], and buying a new petrol, diesel or even hybrid car will be impossible in 15 years’ time. As the market grows, the needs of EV drivers are significantly shifting. Drivers will not be tolerant of fragmented and difficult to use public charging infrastructure.

The needs of the mass market customer have been at the heart of our company ethos from day one. We provide rapid and renewable charging points which are compatible with every EV on the market today and are operated by nothing more complicated than a contactless bank card. As EV ownership skyrockets during the UK’s post-COVID green recovery, we want these USPs to stand out with a memorable and unique name – Osprey – which is easily identifiable to all UK drivers.

Our CEO Ian Johnston reflects, “We are at an inflection point – not just as a company but as an industry. Osprey – which evokes feelings of power, speed and clean air – provides a straightforward, recognisable name that encapsulates our long-held values of simple, open-access charging. A unique and memorable brand to build on as we become the user-focussed network of choice.”

Having formally started the process of changing the company’s name, it will take several months for the re-name to be complete. The process is due to be completed in autumn this year, when drivers can expect to see the new name and logo on chargepoints. Until then, we will continue to operate as Osprey Charging. Our customers do not need to do anything and will be fully informed of the official name-change and launch of Osprey in autumn. Drivers can still expect the same nationwide network of simple, accessible rapid chargers with contactless payment and on-site amenities before and after the name change. The orange colour and visual branding which reflects the company’s mission to enable ‘cleaner transport for cleaner air’ will remain the same. We are already in touch with our partners and will work closely with them to ensure a smooth transition.

Why is Osprey Charging changing its name?

Osprey Charging intends to change the name of the company and charging network to mark our growth as a business in the UK EV market since significant investment a year ago, and to use the mainstream appeal of the new name to set our intention to be the consumer-facing charging network of the future.

Why now?

One year on from securing the funding to expand our network, we have surpassed 150 rapid charge points in the ground across over 110 locations. An ambitious roll-out programme continues this year despite challenges from Covid-19, and we have recently moved into a new, larger office with the expansion of our team. We are at an inflection point in the growth of the company.

We have also made the decision to make the change ahead of the expected take-off of the EV mass market as part of the UK’s post-Covid Green Recovery, so we are ready to stand out with a memorable and unique brand in the post-Covid world.

Do I need to do anything as a driver or Osprey Charging partner? Will it affect how I interact with you as a company?

Whilst we are setting up the new name and logo we will not be changing anything external-facing, and will continue to operate as Osprey Charging.

Our driver customers do not need to do anything; we will be fully informing them when the change actually occurs. Whether Osprey Charging now, or Osprey in the future, drivers can still expect the same nationwide network of simple, accessible rapid chargers with contactless payment and on-site amenities. The only change will be to look out for the new network name and logo, plus some new exciting benefits for drivers which we will launch with Osprey.

The name of the company and logo will change in all external-facing elements in which these appear. Our orange colour and visual branding reflecting our mission to enable ‘cleaner transport for cleaner air’ will stay the same. We will change the logo displayed on our charge points, but not the full charger wrap, to maintain visual recognition and continuity for our customers.

We are not changing our core brand values of accessibility, a simple and transparent service, and enabling the transition to low-emission vehicles for a cleaner future.

We have already been engaging our partners on the name change. We have carefully identified each element of the transition process and will be progressing these over the coming months, keeping our partners closely in the loop on anything that affects our arrangement with them. If you are a partner and are still concerned, please get in touch with you contact at Osprey Charging or email info@engenie.co.uk.

What are the benefits of doing this?

We recognise that there is a level of confusion in the EV market and particularly charging space due to similarly named businesses and similar types of words used in names. A major benefit of the new name, Osprey, is that it stands out for customers and partners, and provides the best base on which to continue to build our brand and provide our service into the future of mass-market EV.

Re-naming to Osprey benefits our customers in particular by being a memorable name and logo that they can easily identify when looking for open access rapid chargers and interacting with us.

Why did you choose the new name?

We were looking for a name that matched our brand, had immediate recognition for a wide variety of people, and had mass market appeal in being short, easy to say and a base upon which we could build our customer offering.

We have chosen Osprey to fulfil these needs; the bird immediately brings to mind characteristics that reflect our brand: travel, power, speed and clean air; it is also a straightforward, recognisable name to match our simple, open-access charging service for customers and partners.

When do we stop referring to you as Osprey Charging and start calling you Osprey?

To change a company name requires business-wide planning and coordination. Over the next few months we will be preparing and beginning to make some of the required changes that can be done in advance, however the business will continue to operate as Osprey Charging. We expect to launch as Osprey, with accompanying visible external changeover, in autumn this year.

The launch of Osprey will be widely publicised to customers and the market, and the change evident across our materials, digital and wider business presence.

How long until all existing chargers are re-branded?

Re-branding our existing chargers (over 150 assets from Scotland to Cornwall) will take several weeks. You can expect to see the first Osprey branded chargers in early autumn just before we launch, and we will then have them all re-logoed by end of 2020.

Does this change signal a change in the business structure or operations?

Becoming Osprey is an internally-driven branding choice; the business offering, operations and funding structure remains the same.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact info@engenie.co.uk.