BP’s electric vehicle charging business has snapped up one of Europe’s largest truck stops, which it intends to transform with mega-watt chargers for electric HGVs.
bp pulse has acquired the freehold for Ashford International Truckstop in Kent, part of its strategic drive to establish a network of mobility hubs along key logistics corridors, creating a Europe-wide network of electric truck charging infrastructure.
The site is close to Dover, the UK’s busiest ferry port, which sees around 3.5 million HGVs travelling across the channel via the Eurotunnel every year.
bp pulse said the site can host approximately 20 mega-watt chargers (MCS), 10 x 400kW and 125 x 100 kW chargers, which have the potential to fully charge an HGV in up to 45 minutes.
The first mega-watt chargers are expected to be in place from 2026.
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Stefan von Dobschuetz, general manager bp pulse Europe, said, “For fleet operators to consider going electric, they must be confident that the infrastructure is in place to support them.
“That is why we are thrilled to have secured the land to a crucial site near Dover as we strive to meet the evolving needs of HGV operators transitioning to EVs.
“The location of this truck stop aligns with our mission to provide accessible and strategically positioned charging infrastructure for our customers along the major truck corridors in Europe.”
In 2022, bp pulse said it plans to invest up to £1 billion in the UK’s EV charging infrastructure. Last year, bp pulse opened its most powerful EV charging hub in central London.
In September last year, the UK’s largest electric vehicle charging hub opened in Birmingham, marking a significant “boost” for Britain’s electric car charging network.
