Aral, the German oil company now owned by BP, is investing up to 100 million euros to double its ultra-rapid charge points from 1,500 to 3,000 by the end of this year. The company aims to expand to over 5,000 charge points in the medium-term, and it has already registered one million charging processes at its columns.
Alexander Junge, Aral Board Member for Electromobility, states, “With our expansion targets for this year, we are well on the way to achieving our medium-term goal.” The company will also focus on fast chargers with up to 300 kW and install charging stations at supermarkets, restaurants, and petrol stations.
Despite the “tailwind from the strong increase in new registrations and customer acceptance of its charging offer,” the expansion of charging infrastructure in Germany still falls short of its potential due to long planning and approval procedures.
Aral Pulse, the German equivalent of BP’s Pulse network in the UK, claims to have over 1,500 charging points nationwide. BP aims to expand its network of public charging stations to more than 100,000 globally by 2030.
See also: Uber teams up with BP to drive electric vehicle transition with global charging partnership
Aral’s investment in expanding its charging network is a positive step toward encouraging more drivers to switch to electric vehicles. However, the challenges faced by operators in expanding their network highlight the need for streamlined processes and policies to support the transition to electric mobility. With the right infrastructure and policies, electric vehicles can become a viable and sustainable mode of transportation.