BP Pulse expands UK charging network
In Northern Ireland, BP Pulse and Henderson Group have signed an agreement to install up to 200 EV charge points at around 100 Henderson Retail sites across the country within the next two years. This includes 30 BP branded chargers at Henderson Retail locations.
“The demand for ultra-fast charging points in Northern Ireland is high. Current figures from the Department for Transport show there are currently around 18,762 ultra-low emission vehicles registered in the region, an increase of 55% in the past two years alone. This steep trajectory of the volume of electric vehicles on the road is only going to continue, yet Northern Ireland has just 60 ultra-fast charge points in operation,” says Ron Whitten, Chief Financial Officer at Henderson Group.
BP Pulse says 17 charging locations are already live at BP SPAR sites across Northern Ireland and four other Henderson Retail SPAR sites. The full roll-out should be completed by the end of 2025.
The electric vehicle charging wing of the legacy oil giant has also opened its most powerful charging hub in central London. Located at Q-Park Pimlico in the Borough of Westminster, the hub features eight charging columns with 150kW fast chargers. Sixteen electric vehicles can charge simultaneously at the new hub.
While most of the charge points at the BP Pimilco site will be available for any electric car drivers, Uber will have two dedicated charge points for its drivers. Uber’s general manager in the UK, Andrew Brem, noted that a lack of fast charging points in the right places was one of the greatest barriers to Uber drivers. Uber has over 10,000 electric vehicles on its London platform. Brem said the London hub in Pimlico will help more Uber drivers to switch to electric vehicles. Earlier this year, BP Pulse opened a charging hub in Kettering, North Northamptonshire, built by The EV Network.
Akira Kirton, vice president of BP Pulse UK, said, “We have seen ultra-fast charging sessions on the bp pulse public network in London double over the last two years, so it’s clear that there is appetite for this technology. At bp pulse, we’re focused on ultra-fast charging and plan to roll out hundreds of hubs this decade in places EV drivers need them.”
1 Comment