BP Pulse has opened its first charging hub at an M&S store. The installation, at Cheshunt in Hertfordshire, follows an agreement in 2022 to roll out the equipment across the retailer’s UK outlets, and BP Pulse says further hubs will be launched soon.
Cheshunt features 10 EV charging bays – four ultra-fast 150kW and six rapid 50kW. One of the ultra-fast charging bays is extra-wide to ensure customers who need it have additional room to charge.
BP Pulse says the initiative reflects its intention to deploy high-speed, on-the-go charging infrastructure at “convenient, strategic locations for customers”. This will include on sites owned by partners such as M&S, as well as BP’s own retail sites, and ”Gigahubs” such as the one that opened at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham last year.
The partnership between BP and M&S dates to 2005 when the first M&S Food store opened on a BP forecourt. Today there are over 300 partnership stores across BP’s network. Over 150 of these stores now also have BP Pulse charging bays.
Akira Kirton, CEO at BP Pulse UK, said: “The opening of our EV charging hub at the M&S store in Cheshunt is a huge milestone; the first of a strategic rollout programme. This is a fantastic option for M&S shoppers, enabling them to top up their EV battery while they enjoy shopping in a brilliant retail destination.
“Convenience is a hugely important part of our aim to develop the UK’s best on-the-go charging network, and this is a compelling example of how we’re offering fast and reliable EV charging where it is convenient for our customers.”
Sacha Berendji, director of operations at M&S, said: “Investing in our stores to make them bigger, better, brighter destinations for the broadest range of customers, including more family shoppers, is a key part of our strategy. EV charging will become an increasingly important part of the store offer.”
Although BP already has EV charging hubs at M&S stores at Maidstone, Southgate and Torbay, this is the first “hub” with at least six charging bays. BP plans other hubs this year at Pudsey in Leeds, Shoreham near Brighton, Lisburn in Northern Ireland, Handforth in Cheshire, and Brooklands in Surrey.
