VW Group will partner with BP to expand EV charging network

Volkswagen Group and BP will work together to accelerate the roll-out of ultra-fast EV chargers across the UK and Europe.

Together, the two companies will install new 150kW chargers at existing BP retail sites. They have signed a memorandum of understanding for their collaboration and intend to finalise agreements in coming months.

The new partnership will make BP the car maker’s official charging partner, enabling the integration of BP’s charging network into VW Group vehicles to make finding and paying for charging more simple.

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.”

The partnership is expected to provide EV drivers with greater confidence in being able to access nearby, reliable, quality charging options. BP estimates approximately 90% of people in the UK and Germany live within a 20-minute drive of one of its sites.

Emma Delaney, bp’s executive vice president, customers and products, said: “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."