^{Image shows Transport Secretary Grant Shapps on a visit to bp pulse’s UK headquarters in Milton Keynes.}

BP Pulse has announced plans to invest £1 billion in electric vehicle charging in the UK over the next 10 years, and expects this to support hundreds of new jobs in the UK.

The investment will allow BP Pulse to deliver more rapid and ultra-fast chargers in key locations, expand fleet products and services, and launch new home charge digital products and services to enhance the customer experience.

The investment will see BP Pulse triple the number of public charging points in its UK network, and accelerate the roll out of 300kW and 150kW ultra-fast charging points that are able to provide EV drivers up to 100 miles of range with just 10 minutes of charging, depending on the model of electric vehicle.

It also plans to upgrade its current EV charging technology across its public charging network to improve reliability.

Richard Bartlett, senior vice president, bp pulse said: “This £1 billion investment is vital to provide the charging infrastructure the UK needs. We’re investing to build a world-class network. This investment allows us to deliver more. More high-speed charging in dedicated hubs and on existing fuel and convenience sites. More home charging services. And crucial enhancements to our digital technology that will make charging fast, easy and reliable.”

BP plans that for every £1 it makes in the UK this decade; it plans to spend £2 – including investments to help the UK towards net zero. bp pulse is part of bp’s integrated UK business portfolio, which includes plans to develop up to 5.9GW gross of offshore wind capacity across the Irish Sea and North Sea and plans to produce 1.5GW of low carbon hydrogen in Teesside, 30% of the UK’s 2030 target, from its H2Teesside and HyGreen Teesside projects.