New Delhi: BP has joined BMW Group and Daimler Mobility AG to drive forward the transition to electrification, the companies said in a joint release.
Under their agreement, BP will become a 33.3% partner alongside BMW Group and Daimler Mobility AG in Digital Charging Solutions GmbH (DCS), developer of digital charging solutions for automotive manufacturers and vehicle fleet operators.
BP’s acquisition of the stake in DCS will be subject to regulatory approval. The terms of the transaction are not yet disclosed.
As part of the agreement, BP’s European charging networks will be integrated into the DCS’s network as well as fuel and charge for fleet customers, as a first step.
According to the release, DCS offers access to 228,000 charging points in 32 countries. Meanwhile, BP currently has around 8,700 charging points in Europe and its UK network BP Pulse is claimed to be the most used EV charging network in the UK.
BP aims to grow its network of public EV charging points by 2030 to over 70,000 worldwide. The company is also rapidly growing its network of ultra-fast chargers and plans to have around 250 ultra-fast chargers operating at the BP retail sites in the UK and 500 ultra-fast charging points across its retail sites in Germany by the year-end. DCS customers will gain access to these additional charging points and BP will gain access to a wider customer base.
Richard Bartlett, senior vice president, future mobility & solutions,BP, said, “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 wider customer base and will ultimately drive up utilisation rates on our network.”
“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 a tank and charging solutions for the growing customer group of plug-in hybrids. BP’s commitment will help DCS accelerate the implementation of its ambitious plans,” Stephan Unger, chief financial officer of Daimler Mobility AG, responsible for Finance and Controlling, Risk Management and Digital Mobility Solutions, said.
“Our cooperation with BP opens up completely new possibilities for expanding our product portfolio making charging even more comfortable for our customers. We know that combined charging and fueling offers are pivotal for our fleet customers. We look forward to adding BP’s retail sites to our network and being able to jointly create innovative integrated services,” Jörg Reimann, CEO of Digital Charging Solutions GmbH, said.
DCS works with OEMs to integrate its charging solutions into vehicle operating systems. The BMW Group and Daimler Mobility AG operate mobility services under the umbrella of the Your Now Joint Ventures. Digital Charging Solutions GmbH stands behind the Charge Now brand and operates charging services such as “Mercedes me Charge”, “BMW Charging” and “MINI Charging”.
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