The first UK rapid charging hub specifically for fleets of electric vehicles (EVs) has been opened by BP Pulse, with 10 50KW chargers already in the ground.
The BP-owned EV charging company has further plans to add 12 more chargers to the site, which is located on Park Lane in central London. A second site is also under construction in the Westminster area.
With a goal of opening hundreds of similar hubs across London and other UK and European cities by 2030, BP Pulse is hoping it can support the transition of businesses and fleets to EVs.
The hubs will deliver charging in locations most needed by fleets and operation and vehicles, with each site to have a target of at least 10 chargers. These sites are also to see additional facilities such as WiFi, refreshments and toilets where possible.
As part of a strategic relationship with BP, Uber is BP’s first fleet customer to get access to the new hubs, with dedicated chargepoints for Uber partner-drivers.
Partner-drivers on the Uber app are also to benefit from discounts on BP Pulse public charging and home charging units.
Richard Bartlett, BP’s senior vice president, future mobility & solutions, said: “Fast, reliable charging infrastructure in convenient locations is essential to give business and fleet customers the confidence to make the switch to electric.”
The company is aiming to grow its network of public chargers to over 70,000 worldwide by 2030, with BP customers currently having access to around 8,700 rapid and ultra-fast chargers.
In March, BP Pulse unveiled plans for a rollout ultra-fast charging hubs across the UK, with the first of these sites to have 24 ultra-fast charging points, opening this year.
The same month, it announced it would be making £2 million available to deliver what it described as “radical improvement” in the reliability of older UK EV charging infrastructure.
