BP, formerly British Petroleum, has invested $5 million into a Silicon Valley company known as FreeWire, which develops mobile fast-charge systems for EVs.
The synergies are clear - why shouldn’t owners of electric cars have the same convenience as those still using combustion-engine vehicles? Service stations, as we all know, are more than just outlets to fill up your car - they serve as modern-day convenience stores, too.
The plan from BP to implement a rollout of FreeWire mobile charge points is set to be rolled out in the UK and other parts of Europe in the coming year. BP says the move to use mobile charging points, rather than investing more heavily in fixed points that mightn’t suit everyone’s needs, should help the company be fluid in meeting user requirements.
“Using FreeWire’s mobile system we can respond very quickly and provide charging facilities at forecourts where we see the greatest demand without needing to make significant investments in today’s fixed technologies and infrastructure,” said BP Downstream chief executive, Tufan Erginbilgic.