British Petroleum (BP) has recently inked a $100 million deal with Tesla to purchase Supercharger charging stations, marking a significant move in BP’s plan to invest $1 billion in EV infrastructure across the USA by 2030. These newly acquired charging stations will be integrated into BP’s existing Pulse Network. Notably, this marks the first instance of an independent EV charging network provider acquiring Superchargers. The Pulse Network presently boasts around 27,000 charging points nationwide. The new Supercharger units are scheduled for deployment in 2024 in major cities such as Houston, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, DC. BP’s goal is to have 100,000 charging points operational in the USA by 2030.
BP Pulse global CEO Richard Bartlett expressed that this collaboration with Tesla, which involves 250 kW output chargers equipped with Tesla’s “Magic Dock” for NACS and CCS connectors, is a significant advancement in their pursuit of high-speed, open-access charging infrastructure in the United States.
For Tesla, this partnership opens up a new revenue stream, with Rebecca Tinucci, the senior director for charging infrastructure at Tesla, highlighting their commitment to providing top-notch charging experiences for all-electric vehicle owners and their intention to expand the sale of fast-charging hardware to support the global transition to sustainable energy.
With various automakers shifting towards NACS (North American Charging Standard), it’s becoming increasingly sensible for infrastructure companies to acquire Superchargers rather than developing their own designs. Pricing will likely play a pivotal role in such decisions.
