BP’s electric vehicle (EV) charger division, BP Pulse, is set to invest $100 million in Tesla’s ultra-fast chargers for deployment in the United States, marking the first instance of Tesla chargers being integrated into an independent charging network.
This strategic move is a part of BP Pulse’s broader commitment to invest up to $1 billion in charging infrastructure across the U.S. by 2030, while also presenting Tesla with a new revenue stream.
Tesla’s senior director for charging infrastructure, Rebecca Tinucci, expressed the company’s enthusiasm for this development, describing it as a new and expandable step for Tesla. This collaboration signifies a significant shift in the EV charging landscape.
The rollout of Tesla chargers is scheduled to commence as early as 2024 and will be integrated into BP-owned brands such as Travel Centers of America and Amoco.
Additionally, partnerships with entities like Hertz, the rental car company that has already agreed to purchase Teslas for its fleet, will allow the deployment of Tesla chargers at third-party locations.
Houston, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington are among the first cities where these chargers will be installed, marking a crucial milestone in BP Pulse’s efforts to establish high-speed, open-access charging infrastructure in the United States.
BP Pulse’s global CEO, Richard Bartlett, acknowledged the significance of this partnership in realizing their ambitions.
The 250-kilowatt BP Pulse-branded chargers are designed to be compatible with both Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) and the Combined Charging System (CCS) connectors.
This dual compatibility allows for the charging of EV models from various automakers, demonstrating the industry’s trend toward adopting Tesla’s NACS as a potential industry standard, potentially supplanting the rival CCS.
In conclusion, the collaboration between BP’s EV charger unit and Tesla represents a major milestone in the EV charging sector, with the integration of Tesla chargers into an independent network signaling a significant shift in the market.
This move not only benefits BP Pulse’s ambitious plans for the U.S. charging infrastructure but also offers Tesla a valuable new revenue stream while promoting the adoption of Tesla’s charging standards across the industry.