BP to install charging points at its petrol stations, while Shell, Ford, BMW, Tesla are in talks with National Grid about building infrastructure for rapid chargers.

BP to install charging points for electric cars at UK petrol stations

Further indication that oil firms are planning for growth of battery-powered vehicle market BP will add rapid charging points for electric cars at its UK petrol stations within the next two months, in the latest sign of an oil giant adapting to the rapid growth of battery-powered cars.

From article, (BP will add rapid charging points for electric cars at its UK petrol stations within the next two months, in the latest sign of an oil giant adapting to the rapid growth of battery-powered cars.

The British oil firm’s venture arm has invested $5m (£3.5m) in the US firm Freewire Technologies, which will provide motorbike-sized charging units at forecourts to top up cars in half an hour.

The move follows a bigger move by BP’s Anglo-Dutch rival Shell, which has been on a buying spree of electric car infrastructure companies and has already opened charging points at its service stations.

While BP would not put a number on how many forecourts would see the chargers, it confirmed the trial would start in the UK during February and March before expanding to European locations later in the year.

 National Grid, which runs the UK’s electricity transmission network, said that it was in talks with BP, Shell, Ford, BMW, Tesla and other companies about building infrastructure for super rapid chargers at motorway service stations.

Graeme Cooper, the project director of electric vehicles, said that the company had mapped traffic, population and roads and identified 50 sites to ensure most people are in reach of such chargers.

“Fifty strategic locations means to an extent that 96% of UK drivers would be able to drive in any direction from any location in the UK and be in 50 miles of an ultra rapid small charger … To an extent we can probably allay range anxiety,” he said.

The grid infrastructure for such a plan would cost £0.5-1bn, or around 60p a driver per year if all motorists shouldered the cost, Cooper said. He was dismissive of “doom-mongers” who suggest the UK energy system cannot cope with the cars.

Nissan, whose new longer range Leaf electric car arrives on UK roads in coming months, said on Tuesday that it would fit 1,000 charging points for a trial to test how plug-in cars’ batteries can help power grids, by returning electricity at times of need.)

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