Oil and gas giant, British Petroleum plc (BP) has joined BMW Group and Daimler mobility AG in their drive for improving electrification and making electric vehicles charging more convenient and simpler.
As per the recent agreement signed between the three entities, BP will become a 33.3 percent partner alongside BMW Group and Daimler Mobility AG in Digital Charging Solutions GmbH (DCS), one of Europe’s leading developers of digital charging solutions for automotive manufacturers and vehicle fleet operators.
“Our aim is to make charging as convenient as refuelling at the pump – fast, reliable, and a great customer experience,” said Richard Bartlett, senior vice president, future mobility & solutions at BP.
“Joining forces with BMW Group and Daimler Mobility AG in DCS, combined with the expansion of our ultra-fast charging network, will help provide drivers access to convenient charging where they need it. It also gives us access to a much wider customer base, ultimately driving up utilisation rates on our network."
DCS already offers access to 228,000 charging points across 32 countries. The company works with OEMs to integrate its charging solutions into vehicle operating systems, offering plug & charge for vehicles and chargers for seamless operation without the need for additional customer authentication.
For example, DCS already operates "Mercedes me Charge", "BMW Charging" and "MINI Charging" services.
This partnership gives OEMs, fleet customers, and EV drivers extensive greater access to charging infra across Europe.
BP’s European charging networks will be integrated into the DCS’ software system as well as Fuel & Charge for fleet customers, as a first step. The company aims to grow its network of public EV charging points by 2030 to over 70,000 worldwide, BP said in a statement.
The company already has 8,700 charging points in Europe and in the UK, its charging network BP Pulse is said to be the most used EV charging network in the country.
BP is also rapidly expanding its network of ultra-fast chargers and plans to have around 250 ultra-fast chargers operating at BP retail sites in the UK and 500 ultra-fast charging points across its Aral retail sites in Germany by end of 2021. Through the latest collaboration, DCS customers will gain access to these additional charging points and BP will gain access to a wider customer base.
"BP’s large network of retail sites offers ideal conditions for the expansion of charging infrastructure – precisely where customers of electric vehicles need and expect them. We also see great potential in combining tank and charging solutions for the growing customer group of plug-in hybrids,” said Stephan Unger, Chief Financial Officer of Daimler Mobility AG, responsible for Finance and Controlling, Risk Management and Digital Mobility Solutions.
- By Shraddha Kakade,
Asst. Editor, Emerging Technology News.