BP and DiDi join forces to build electric vehicle charging network in China

Beijing, August 1 - Neftegaz.RU. BP and China's Didi Chuxing (DiDi) today announced they have agreed to form a new joint venture to build electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in China, the world's largest market for electric vehicles. The new joint venture plans to develop a network of EV charging hubs across the country.

DiDi is the world's leading multi-modal transportation platform, offering users a full range of app-based options, including ride-hailing, automobile solutions sharing, and other services. Its platform already has approximately 550 million users and around 600,000 EVs are running on it in China.

BP has a global fuels retailing and convenience business operating in 18 countries globally, with over 18,700 retail sites, and with a significant and rapidly-growing presence in China.

The joint venture will develop standalone, reliable and high-quality charging hubs to provide EV charging services to DiDi's drivers and the public.

Tufan Erginbilgic, BP's Downstream chief executive said: "As the world's largest EV market, China offers extraordinary opportunities to develop innovative new businesses at scale and we see this as the perfect partnership for such a fast-evolving environment. The lessons we learn here will help us further expand BP's advanced mobility business worldwide, helping drive the energy transition and develop solutions for a low carbon world."

BP and DiDi have already opened a pilot site in Guangzhou in the Guangdong province, with 10 fast-charging units, ranging from 60-120kW. This site will migrate into the joint venture once live. The venture aims to expand rapidly, with an ambition to quickly become the leading EV charging provider in China.

China is the world's largest and fastest-developing EV market with around 50% of the world's BEVs today. By 2030, we expect around 80% of EV charging in China to be done at destination, forecourt and fleet hub charge points.

To read the news in Russian.