BP Plans Large Electric Truck Charging Park at Truck Stop in Southern England

BP is set to take over a truck stop in the south of England, located at the Ashford International Truckstop in Kent, with plans to develop a large fast-charging park for electric trucks. The site’s strategic location near Dover and the Eurotunnel makes it an ideal location for the development.

According to BP, the site offers space for around 20 megawatt chargers, 10 x 400 kW chargers, and 125 x 100 kW chargers. The first MCS chargers are scheduled to be connected to the grid from 2026. This mix of charging stations aims to cover various scenarios for charging e-trucks, from quick 45-minute breaks to slow overnight charging.

Stefan von Dobschuetz, general manager of bp pulse Europe, stated, “For fleet operators to consider going electric, they must be confident that the infrastructure is in place to support them. That is why we are thrilled to have secured the land to a crucial site near Dover as we strive to meet the evolving needs of HGV operators transitioning to EVs.”

The site’s potential for expansion depends on the availability of power connections and the pace of electrification in UK and European road freight transport. Ashford International Truckstop is strategically located at junctions 10 and 10a of the M20, close to Dover, the UK’s busiest ferry port, and LeShuttle Freight via the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone.

BP aims to connect truck charging corridors, with plans to enable a connection from the UK to BP Pulse’s German charging corridors. This is seen as a crucial step in BP Pulse’s vision to build a comprehensive Europe-wide network of electric vehicle charging infrastructure for lorries.

Darrell Healey, Chairman of GSE Group, which currently owns the truck stop, commented, “We know the industry, including many of our clients, want to go electric. They will need convenient and quick charging infrastructure in the right locations, which is why the combination of the truck stop at Ashford and bp pulse works so well.”

Under the terms of the agreement, BP Pulse has taken over the site but will lease it back to GSE subsidiary Ashford International Truckstop Ltd to operate the existing facilities and secure car parking spaces under a long-term lease. BP Pulse will operate and manage the electric vehicle charging infrastructure at the site.