BP’s electric vehicle charging brand BP Pulse has acquired the freehold of Ashford International Truckstop in Kent – one of the largest truck stops in Europe – as part of its strategic drive to create a Europe-wide network of electric truck (EV) charging infrastructure.
The company said the site has the capacity to host around 20 1MW chargers, alongside ten 400kW and 125 100kW chargers. That would support a range of charging options providing immediate and and overnight charging for HGVs. MW-scale chargers could fully charge an HGV in up to 45 minutes, giving it an onward range of around 310 miles in a single charge, depending on EV model, battery, the weather and driving conditions. .
The expansion is “subject to power connection availability and the pace of electrification in the UK and European road freight sector” but BP said the first megawatt chargers are expected to be in place from 2026.
Stefan von Dobschuetz, general manager BP Pulse Europe, said, “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 location of this truck stop aligns with our mission to provide accessible and strategically positioned charging infrastructure for our customers along the major truck corridors in Europe,”
Ashford International Truckstop is currently owned by the GSE Group. The 21-acre site has 660 secure parking bays and convenience services for HGV drivers. BP Pulse will operate and manage the EV charging infrastructure, and lease back the site to Ashford International Truckstop Ltd, part of GSE Group, to operate the existing site facilities and secure parking on a long-term lease.
In January 2023, BP launched a European truck charging corridor along a 600km stretch of the Rhine-Alpine corridor across Germany. In Germany, under the 21 Aral Pulse brand, it has operational truck stops that enable electric truck to cover over 750km across multiple routes throughout Germany.