bp pulse to install EV charging points across M&S stores in UK

Marks & Spencer (M&S) and bp pulse have signed an exclusive agreement to bring high-speed electric vehicle (EV) charging points to the M&S store estate across the UK.

The agreement will see M&S and bp pulse, bp’s electric vehicle charging business, work together to install an initial 900 electric vehicle charging points in around 70 of M&S’ national stores in the next two years.

The roll-out will significantly expand bp pulse’s network, growing the UK’s EV charging network and adding up to 40,000 kWhs of charging capacity to the UK’s EV infrastructure.

In order to provide the appropriate speed for each need, a combination of ultra-fast (≥150kW) and rapid (≥50kW) charge points will be installed during the roll-out.

15 rapid (50kW) charge points are already live and open to the public at M&S Maidstone Eclipse and Southgate following successful pilot installations.

bp and M&S have a long-standing relationship, first teaming up in 2005 to introduce M&S Food stores at bp retail sites. More than 250 bp pulse EV charging points are already available at over 60 bp-operated forecourts which also offer M&S Food.

This new agreement is a major extension of this relationship and spotlights how both companies are working together to achieve net zero ambitions.

“We aim to provide fast, reliable, and convenient EV charging to our customers that fits in with ‎their busy lifestyles and so, we are excited to extend our relationship with M&S to put high-speed charge points at their stores, growing our network even further,” said Akira Kirton, CEO, bp pulse UK.

“At M&S we’re reshaping the business for sustainable future growth in every sense. From our award-winning Shwopping initiative to our Fill Your Own refill concept, EV charging is the latest feature to ensure we have a store estate fit for the future, to help our customers live lower carbon lives,” said Sacha Berendji, director of operations, M&S.

“We aim to provide fast, reliable, and convenient EV charging to our customers that fits in with ‎their busy lifestyles and so, we are excited to extend our relationship with M&S to put high-speed charge points at their stores, growing our network even further,” said Akira Kirton, CEO at bp pulse UK.

bp pulse is the most utilized electric vehicle charging operator in the UK with one of the leading ultra-fast and rapid public EV charging networks. Globally, bp pulse is expanding its network of high-speed charging for cars, light commercial vehicles, and trucks, supporting bp’s ambition ‎to be a net zero company by 2050, or sooner and help the world get to net zero.

bp is backing Britain with plans to invest up to GBP18 billion (USD22 billion) in the UK energy system by 2030. This includes up to GBP1 billion (USD1.2 billion) for EV charging infrastructure—a step forward towards bp’s global ambition of having more than 100,000 chargers installed worldwide by 2030.