BP Pulse opens ultra-rapid charge stop at Gatwick Airport
Through its subsidiary BP Pulse, Britain’s oil company BP has opened its latest new electric vehicle charging hub at Gatwick airport near London. The HPC columns currently deliver 150 kW, but BP says new hardware will upgrade these units to deliver 300 kW in future.
For the moment, the new hub at Gatwick’s Q-parking facility includes three ultra-fast charging units that charge an EV to 80% capacity in 10-15 minutes, providing a range of around 100 miles, so BP Pulse.
The site also features four 50kW chargers for airport guests, taxi drivers, local businesses and residents.
Enabled by UK Power Networks, the seven chargers allow ten electric vehicles to charge simultaneously.
Akira Kirton, CEO of BP Pulse, said: “The opening of this latest hub at the UK’s second busiest airport is another important step in our roll out of ultra-fast charging.”
In today’s statement, the company added the new hub at Gatwick was the first in several major installations planned for 2022, with development already underway at Heathrow Airport.
Commenting on charging at airports, Jamie Heywood, Uber Regional General Manager, Northern & Eastern Europe, added: “We know from speaking to drivers that one of the greatest barriers to electrification is the lack of rapid charging points in the right places. Airport trips are an important part of many drivers’ earning opportunities, so bp pulse’s new Gatwick hub is a great step in making sure their electric charging needs will be met.”
BP Pulse came about when BP renamed BP Chargemaster and bought out Polar network in 2020. The subsidiary targets growing the current network to include 16,000 charge points by 2030. The new installations will primarily deliver faster charging (from 50 kW). Still, BP also pledged to invest two million pounds in upgrading “legacy” that is older charge points, specifically those owned by local authorities.
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