Tuesday 16 March 2021
Volkswagen and bp team up to rollout ultra-fast EV charging across Europe
The Volkswagen Group and bp have teamed up to extend and speed up the deployment of ultra-fast charging networks for electric vehicles (EVs) across the UK, Germany and elsewhere in Europe.
They have signed a memorandum of understanding for their collaboration, which will see the rollout of EV chargers at Aral sites in Germany and bp retail sites across Europe.
The project is expected to give EV drivers greater confidence in being able to access nearby, reliable charging options, with bp estimating around 90% of people in the UK and Germany live within a 20-minute drive to a bp or Aral site.
The agreement would make bp the Volkswagen Group's EV charging partner, with the integration of bp's charging network into Volkswagen vehicles.
Thomas Schmall, Member of the Board of Volkswagen Group and CEO of Volkswagen Group Components said: “Ultra-fast charging is the key enabler for e-mobility and therefore a main pillar for Volkswagen´s transformation. Together with strong partners like bp we take this important matter into our hands and will build up to 18,000 new chargers in Europe. That is about 1/3 of the estimated ultra-fast charging demand in 2025.”
https://twitter.com/bp_plc/status/1371450239194914818
bp aims to grow its network of public EV charging points to more than 70,000 worldwide by 2030, with plans to install around 250 ultra-fast chargers at bp retail sites by the end of this year.
In Germany, Aral pulse is also rolling out ultra-fast charging points across retail sites, expecting to have 500 installed by the end of 2021.
Emma Delaney, bp’s Executive Vice President - customers and products added: “Enabling the rapid expansion of electric vehicles is core to bp’s plans to grow our convenience and mobility business and supports our net zero ambition.
“Partnering with Volkswagen Group - one of the world’s great automotive companies - we intend to address a key concern for people considering buying an EV: range anxiety. Together we can provide drivers in the UK and Europe with the fast, reliable and convenient charging solutions they need to feel more confident about making the switch. By deploying ultra-fast charging, rapidly and at large scale, we can establish a leading position and help accelerate the take-up of EVs."
