Digital Charging Solutions: bp joins as a new stakeholder

The oil and energy company bp has announced its intention to acquire one-third of the shares in Digital Charging Solutions GmbH (DCS). This would give the Munich-based company, which is behind the charging services Charge Now and Mercedes me Charge, a third major shareholder. The strategic investment is expected to mark an important step for the further development of e-mobility and open up a multitude of new opportunities for DCS on its way to becoming a leading global provider of charging solutions, according to DCS. However, the BMW Group and Daimler Mobility AG will remain joint majority owners. Additionally, the transaction is subject to regulatory approval.

DCS hopes to elevate its offering to a new level

As of today, DCS offers automakers and fleet customers access to 228,000 charging points in 32 markets. Through the new partnership with bp, the company hopes to expand its product offering to include combined fuel and charging solutions and elevate access to the charging infrastructure to a new level. They point to bp's mobility expertise and long-term commitment to e-mobility. The Munich company aims to accelerate its growth strategy, expand its strong market position, and reinforce its role as a key driver of e-mobility. In addition to benefits for users of the charging services, the collaboration also brings "another crucial contribution to the global success of e-mobility," assures the company. 

“With bp as a co-shareholder, we will have the opportunity to gain access to new markets and partnerships and to further expand our network with particularly attractive and user-friendly charging locations. We look forward to integrating bp and Aral's gas station and charging station network into our network,” comments Jörg Reimann, CEO of Digital Charging Solutions GmbH, on the collaboration with the oil company.

Richard Bartlett, responsible for “Future Mobility & Solutions" at bp, expresses the intention to make charging as convenient, quick, and reliable as refueling at the pump. The collaboration with the BMW Group and Daimler Mobility AG in DCS is an important step forward, along with the expansion of the ultra-fast charging network, which is currently also being intensified under the Aral brand. He also mentions access to a larger customer base, which is expected to increase the utilization of the network.

First step: bp's charging network to be integrated into the DCS app

A part of the agreement is that in the first step, bp/Aral's European charging network and the fuel and charging offer for fleet operators will be integrated into DCS software. The expansion of e-mobility is a central part of bp's mobility strategy: The company aims to expand its network of public charging points for electric vehicles to over 70,000 worldwide by 2030. Currently, the company operates 8,700 charging points in Europe. In Germany, the company is also expanding its network of ultra-fast charging points at Aral gas stations under the brand Aral pulse. By the end of the year, 500 charging points with up to 350 kilowatts of charging power are expected to be installed.

Core competencies to be maintained

Even after the intended entry of the new shareholder, DCS will continue to rely on its expertise in the field of digital charging solutions and provide its OEM and fleet customers, as well as electric vehicle drivers, with the best possible charging network coverage, functionality, and quality across Europe and Japan, the Munich-based company assures. Customers and partners are, however, expected to benefit in the long term from an even larger and more diverse product portfolio as well as the expansion into new markets.