BP Pulse opens dedicated rapid charging hub for Uber electric cars

BP Pulse, the oil company, electric vehicles arm, has opened a dedicated fleet charging hub at London’s Park Lane.

The hub has 10 rapid 50kW chargers, and a further 12 chargers are due to be added in the coming months. The Park Lane site is the first of hundreds of similar hubs planned across London and other UK and European cities by 2030. A second site is already under construction in the Westminster area. Each site will have at least 10 chargers.

The site includes dedicated chargers for Uber drivers as part of a strategic partnership between BP Pulse and the ride-hailing service. Uber partner-drivers can also access discounts on home chargers and charging on the BP Pulse public charging network.

Richard Bartlett, bp’s senior vice president, future mobility & solutions, said: “London anticipates that by 2025 taxis and private hire vehicles will account for 80% of all public charging demand in the city.”

“Fast, reliable charging infrastructure in convenient locations is essential to give business and fleet customers the confidence to make the switch to electric. That’s why we’re opening our new hubs at the heart of major cities across the UK and Europe.”

Jamie Heywood, Uber regional general manager, Northern and Eastern Europe, said: “We have been doing everything we can to encourage drivers to switch to electric vehicles, including launching Uber Green to make zero-emissions transport a reality.“

“We know that one of the greatest barriers to electrification is the lack of rapid charging points in the right places that are convenient for drivers – BP Pulse’s fantastic new hub is a great step forward in making sure their needs will be met.”