BP Chargemaster starts the roll out of ultra-fast charging on BP forecourts across the UK
The first 150kW charger launched in Cranford near Heathrow Airport
BP Chargemaster, one of the UK’s leading electric vehicle charging companies, earlier this month powered up its first 150kW ultra-fast electric vehicle (EV) chargers on a traditional BP fuelling station. The charger was the first in a planned network of ultra-fast charging infrastructure stretching across the UK.
The new 150kW chargers are able to provide ultra-fast charging to the latest and next generation of EVs, convenience that BP say they see as essential to support the continued growth of the UK’s EV market. Two of these new chargers are now installed at BP’s retail site at Cranford near Heathrow airport, west of London. They are the first in a planned rollout of 400 ultra-fast chargers at BP sites across the UK by the end of 2021, with the network continuing to grow in line with new vehicle models arriving on the market that will be capable of ultra-fast charging. Tufan Erginbilgic, chief executive of BP’s Downstream business, said: “As the world of mobility evolves, BP is determined to be the fuel provider of choice whether drivers need electric charging or liquid fuels. BP Chargemaster continues to develop and is leading the way for our understanding of how we can best support and succeed in this fast-growing new market. “Convenient and reliable ultra-fast charging will be critical in driving the wider adoption of electric vehicles in the UK. The combination of BP Chargemaster’s EV charging expertise, experience and customer base with BP’s retail sites across the UK is now allowing us to develop the UK’s first nationwide network of ultra-fast chargers.” David Newton, chief operating officer of BP Chargemaster, said: “We believe our establishment of a nationwide ultra-fast charging network will be transformative for the electric vehicle market in the UK. Working closely with global vehicle manufacturers, we are developing the solutions that electric vehicle drivers need to enable them to charge confidently and conveniently, wherever they are in the country. BP’s forecourts are ideal locations for this technology, which will provide an expected dwell time of 10-12 minutes, not dissimilar from the average of around seven minutes spent by drivers of petrol and diesel cars on a forecourt today.” In celebration, BP Chargemaster hosted an exclusive preview event, inviting Polar customers to be the first in the UK to use the new chargers. The event also gave key representatives of BP Chargemaster and BP the opportunity to meet and discuss with customers about their products and the future of EV charging. BP Chargemaster’s latest generation of charge points was unveiled earlier this year by Robert Llewellyn at Fully Charged Live. As an avid promoter of electric vehicles and key representative for the EV community, customers were keen to chat with the Fully Charged Show host and his avocation of 150kW charging. The new units have CCS and CHAdeMO charging available, and will be accessible through Polar Plus membership and Polar Instant pay as you go, as well as Contactless in the near future.
Image credit: BP Chargemaster
