BP to spend $1.3B as UK pushes for 300,000 EV chargers by 2030

An EV charger at a BP gas station in New Jersey. (Getty Images)

Oil major BP PLC said on Friday it plans to invest 1 billion pounds ($1.32 billion) in electric vehicle charging in the United Kingdom over the next decade, to meet the country's growing demand for greener power.

The announcement comes as the British government pledged 1.6 billion pounds ($2.1 billion) to expand the number of chargers in the UK tenfold, to 300,000 by 2030 under its Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy.

The company, which has sought to shift away from oil and expand operations in power markets and around electric vehicles, said in January its fast electric vehicle chargers were on the cusp of becoming more profitable than filling up a petrol car.

The group said the investment, to be made through its EV charging business BP pulse, would help triple the number of public charging points in its UK network.

"I am delighted that BP pulse is supporting the transition to cleaner vehicles as we accelerate towards our net-zero ambitions and boost green jobs opportunities right across the UK," British transport minister Grant Shapps said in a statement.

BP said last month it intends to halve its operational emissions by 2030, compared with a previous target of reducing it by 30-35%, as it aims to accelerate its goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

The group had also reported that its 2021 profit hit the highest level in eight years lifted by soaring gas and oil prices.