bp, Volkswagen to expand ultra-fast EV charging network at the forecourt

Companies join forces to deploy EV-charging facilities at bp retail sites across the UK, Germany (Aral sites) and elsewhere in Europe.

Volkswagen and bp will work together on extending and speeding up the deployment of ultra-fast electric vehicle (EV) charging facilities at bp retail sites across the UK, Germany (Aral sites) and elsewhere in Europe. The companies signed a memorandum of understanding for their collaboration and intend to finalize agreements in coming months, according to a press release.

With this agreement, companies intend to address a key concern for people considering buying an EV: range anxiety, says Emma Delaney, bp’s executive vice president, customers and products. bp estimates approximately 90% of people in the UK and Germany live within a 20-minute drive of a bp or Aral site.

The agreement would also make bp the Volkswagen Group’s EV charging partner, with the integration of bp’s charging network into VW Group vehicles. The network would also be available for other EV customers as part of the bp pulse network (Aral pulse in Germany).

bp aims to grow its network of public EV charging points by 2030 to over 70,000 worldwide. In the UK, the company plans to have around 250 ultrafast chargers operating at bp retail sites by the end of this year. In Germany, Aral pulse is also already rolling out ultrafast charging points across its retail sites – expecting to have 500 installed by year end.

Together with partners like bp, VW aims to build up to 18,000 new chargers in Europe - about 1/3 of the estimated ultra-fast charging demand in 2025, says Thomas Schmall, Member of the Board of Volkswagen Group and CEO of Volkswagen Group Components.