Bharat Petroleum To Add 7,000 EV Charging Stations In The Next 5 Years

The new charging stations will be added to existing Bharat Petroleum fuel stations across the countries. The fuel stations with the added EV charging infrastructure will be branded as 'Energy Stations'.

In a statement to the media, Bharat Petroleum stated, "The EV charging infrastructure will provide the company with a new business opportunity as well as a hedge against the risk of displacement of auto fuels. The EV ecosystem in India is expected to experience robust growth in the coming years in India as auto manufacturers turn to electric vehicles to attract new consumers."

Other fuel providers in India like Indian Oil and Reliance Energy with its Jio-bp brand have already announced plans to join the EV charging infrastructure business over the past 2 weeks. Indian Oil, recently announced plans to open 10,000 new EV charging stations over the next 3 years. You can read more about that announcement by clicking here.

Speaking about his company's plans to expand its EV charging infrastructure network, Arun Kumar Singh, Chairman & Managing Director, Bharat Petroleum said, "Over the next few years, we are aiming at reaching the count of 7,000 stations to support the growing EV industry and these stations would be known as 'Energy Stations'. EV charging infrastructure is one of the five focused segments that BPCL is working on along with Petchem, Gas, Consumer Retailing, Renewables & Biofuels that will serve the energy needs of the nation."

The news comes the same week as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise announcement at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly known as COP26, about India's plans to accelerate its commitment to becoming carbon neutral by the year 2070.

India also announced a renewed and expanded focus on using renewables to meet its energy demands as the country looks to do its bit to fight climate change. India is currently the third biggest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world after China and the United States of America accounting for around seven per cent of the world's total CO2 output.

With this new focus on renewables and clean energy from the government, Bharat Petroleum's move to increase its EV charging network shows the company moving with the times. The company currently has over 19,000 fuel stations across the country. The company has not revealed any details right now on the type of EV chargers it will be installing in its new 'Energy Stations'. However, we expect the Oil and Gas behemoth to offer both AC and DC fast charging enabled chargers at its stations.

Thoughts On Bharat Petroleum's Move to Add EV Chargers At Fuel Stations

Bharat Petroleum's move to add EV chargers at its fuel stations doesn't come as much of a surprise. With the switch towards electric vehicles ramping up across the country, the move will ensure that Bharat Petroleum remains relevant for many more years to come. For EV enthusiasts, it just adds more locations to take into account when planning charging stops on a long road trip.