Chargemaster, the UK’s largest electric vehicle charging network, has been bought by fuel firm BP and will be renamed BP Chargemaster. Chargemaster plc currently operates the POLAR network of 6,500 charging points around the country, and BP Chargemaster will now embark on the rollout of an ultra-fast charger network across the UK.
This will include 150kW rapid chargers at BP forecourts that can add 100 miles of range to compatible electric vehicle models in just 10 minutes. BP customers can expect to see BP Chargemaster chargers appearing over the next 12 months. While BP is traditionally known for selling petrol, diesel and LPG, it expects that there will be 12 million electric vehicles on UK roads by 2040, a massive increase on the 135,000 being driven in 2017.
“The acquisition of Chargemaster by BP marks a true milestone in the move towards low carbon motoring in the UK” said David Martell, Chief Executive of Chargemaster. With 1,200 service stations dotted all over the country, BP think it’s in an ideal position to “accelerate the adoption of EVs”, adding “customers will require convenient access to fast and ultrafast charging.”
Established in 2008, Chargemaster’s POLAR network currently has 40,000 customers, the majority of whom pay via a monthly subscription, while the rest use a pay-as-you-go service. The brand is also the UK’s largest supplier of home charging points and is the official charging partner for several car brands.
