Lincolnshire Co-op and bp pulse will work together to improve electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across Lincolnshire and the surrounding counties.
The collaboration has seen bp pulse install 32 rapid 50kW charging bays, bringing its total number of chargepoints at Lincolnshire Co-op shops to 60. Most of the new chargepoints were installed in extra-wide bays to allow use by all customers.
The new chargepoints will boost EV charging across the countryside and help bring rapid EV charging to a wider customer base.
According to government statistics cited by bp pulse, only one in six public chargers are located in rural areas. Most of Lincolnshire’s Co-op sites are outside cities across Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Cambridgeshire and Yorkshire, ideally situated to serve rural communities.
Research by bp pulse showed that 51% of UK EV drivers bought a snack, hot drink or groceries from a convenience store on their last charge. By teaming up, bp pulse and Lincolnshire Co-op deliver ‘charging with convenience’ that gives customers on-the-go charging in locations they want.
Andrew Turner, procurement and sustainability advisor at Lincolnshire Co-op, said: “Installing electric charging points at our trading outlets supports our communities in reducing tailpipe emissions by switching over to hybrid and electric vehicles.
“We are determined to make life better in our communities, and central to that is looking after our local environment is central to that. Looking to the future, we would like to further increase the availability of EV chargers to ensure coverage across Lincolnshire and the surrounding counties.”
bp pulse previously partnered with M&S to provide a combination of ultra-fast (≥150kW) and rapid (≥50kW) chargepoints. The company states that today, 70% of the population in Great Britain live within a 5-mile radius of a bp pulse chargepoint.
Akira Kirton, vice president of bp pulse UK, said: “Collaboration is going to be key to accelerating the EV transition. By partnering with Lincolnshire Co-op, we are putting chargers in the places our customers need them.
“Customers can recharge their battery while they pick up something for dinner at the same time. Combining EV charging with a brilliant convenience offer is a no-brainer.”
