BP announcement ‘penny drop moment’ for electric vehicles.
Electric vehicle charging company InstaVolt has described BP’s plans to install electric vehicle chargers as the ‘penny drop moment’ for EVs.
Fuel giant BP announced this week that it is set to install electric vehicle charging points at its UK forecourts in a move that adds further weight to the EV revolution.
The announcement has been described by many as a significant milestone in the UK’s journey to embrace electric vehicles.
Tim Payne, CEO of InstaVolt, says: “If we were waiting for a big ‘penny drop’ moment then this is it. When one of the world’s biggest oil companies announces it’s embracing electric vehicle technology, you know that’s the future for our roads.
“With BP and Shell both backing EVs, it’s clear that the revolution is happening now. It’s important that smaller and independent forecourt owners follow suit swiftly and climb on board. When you combine this latest news from BP with the Government’s plans to ban the sale of new diesel and petrol cars in the UK from 2040 it’s quite clear the direction in which we’re headed.”
InstaVolt has been shouting about the important role forecourts have to play in the EV revolution since its inception. The company, which is set to install 3,000 rapid chargers across the UK by 2020, says a focus on public charging, rather than home-charging, will be key to encouraging drivers to go electric.
Tim Payne says: “Around a third of households don’t have off-street parking, which means the electric vehicle industry needs to be focuses on public, rather than home charging. Forecourts will play a huge role in that, being perfectly placed to house rapid charging units where people can charge up quickly en route.”
He adds that technology needs to adapt to give drivers the fastest possible charging. “Drivers wouldn’t stand for it if they had to spend three hours topping up their car with petrol with a pipet. It’s exactly the same with EVs. That’s why we’ve partnered with US firm ChargePoint to bring brand-new chargers to the UK that can give 80 per cent charge in just 20-30 minutes. The units can be updated as battery capacity grows, making them future-proofed.”
