I certainly didn’t have the BP from all the companies on the bingo card to buy a ton of Tesla Superchargers.
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But, that is exactly what has happened. BP, one of the world’s largest oil companies, is actually making a big investment in renewable energy in the form of its purchase of Tesla’s supercharger technology. In a press release, the company announced that it has invested $100 million in its own charging network that will be powered by Tesla’s Superchargers – the first deal of its kind for Tesla.
The company says the chargers will be deployed in the United States starting next year. The chargers will mostly be located in major metropolitan areas like Houston, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington DC. They will also start popping up at Hertz locations for the rental company to support more EVs for their customers.
Image Source: Tesla
BP Pulse global CEO Richard Bartlett said in a statement that the investment in Tesla’s supercharging technology is part of the company’s strategy to build out its charging infrastructure in the United States. The company has already committed to invest $1 billion in its charging infrastructure in the country by 2030.
“Strengthening the BP Pulse network with Tesla’s industry-leading hardware is a major step forward in our ambitions for high-speed, open access charging infrastructure in the US and furthers our ambition to deliver an exceptional customer experience . With our vast network of convenience and mobility sites on and off the highway, this collaboration with Tesla will bring fast and reliable charging to EV drivers, when and where they need it.
Rebecca Tinucci, Tesla’s senior director of charging infrastructure, confirmed that “selling our fast-charging hardware is a new step for us” but, by doing so, it will continue to accelerate the company’s mission to transition the world to sustainable energy. .
“At Tesla, we are driven to enable a great charging experience for all EV owners. Selling our fast-charging hardware is a new step for us, and we look to expand in support of our mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy. We appreciate BP’s partnership in this area – it is the right step towards a more sustainable future.
While this is the first time that Tesla will provide its Supercharger technology to another company, it certainly isn’t the first time it’s opening up its Superchargers to other companies – specifically, other EV vehicle manufacturers. The company has been signing agreements with EV vehicle manufacturers over the past year, further cementing its NACS (North American Charging Standard) as the default charging technology in the United States and Canada.
Image Source: Hilton
Additionally, the company is updating its existing chargers with support for CCS to connect to existing EV networks. All companies gaining access to the charging network have also committed to building their future EVs with Tesla’s NACS charging connector.
The company seems to be increasing its influence on the future of EV charging infrastructure with the deals announced today with BP. The future is electric and, at least in North America, it looks like we’ll all be Tesla customers in some way or another — even if we don’t drive one of their cars.
Source: bgr.com
