BP buys into Digital Charging Solutions

Alongside the BMW Group and Daimler Mobility AG, BP will become the third shareholder in the charging infrastructure provider Digital Charging Solutions GmbH (DCS) with a share of 33.3 per cent. DCS will also offer combined charging and refuelling solutions through the partnership with the mineral oil company in the future.

+ + Kindly see our update below + +

According to BMW, BP’s participation in DCS is still subject to the approval of the relevant authorities. The parties have agreed not to disclose the terms of the transaction.

In the initial stages, BP’s charging network will be integrated into that of DCS. This will give DCS customers access to a further 8,700 charging points across Europe, primarily in the UK and Germany. In Germany, this will come under the Aral Pulse brand. In return, BP will gain a larger customer base for its European charging network, BMW said.

The partnership with BP should also enable DCS to expand its portfolio to include combined charging and refuelling solutions and expand access to the charging infrastructure, for example for plug-in hybrids in company fleets. “Our cooperation with BP opens up completely new possibilities for expanding our product portfolio making charging even more comfortable for our customers,” says Jörg Reimann, Managing Director of Digital Charging Solutions GmbH. “We know that combined charging and fueling offers are pivotal for our fleet customers.”

Stephan Unger, Chief Financial Officer of Daimler Mobility AG says that the large networks offered by BP and Aral greatly increase charging sites “precisely where customers of electric vehicles need and expect them. ” He added: “We also see great potential in combining tank and charging solutions for the growing customer group of plug-in hybrids.”

DCS was originally 100 per cent owned by BMW, but Daimler later took over 50 per cent of DCS in the course of numerous mobility cooperations between Munich and Stuttgart. Today, DCS offers white-label solutions and, in addition to BMW/Mini Charging and ‘Mercedes me Charge’, also manages the charging service of BMW and Daimler’s competitor Audi, among others.

DCS’s charging network includes access to 228,000 charging points in 32 countries. Beyond the charging network, DCS also develops digital charging solutions for fleet operators and works with several OEMs to integrate charging services into vehicles.

Update 14.10.2021:

The relevant approval from the authorities have now been given. Around half a year after BP’s entry into DCS was announced, Daimler and BMW have now announced that the deal has been completed. BP is now officially the third shareholder in Digital Charging Solutions. BP has acquired a third of the shares in the course of a capital increase. Daimler and BMW, which previously each held 50 per cent of the shares, now also have 33.3 per cent.

BP will also contribute its current 9,000 charging points across Europe and make them available to customers in future via the DCS offerings, including the HPC at Aral filling stations. BP aims to reach a total of 70,000 charging points by 2030. BMW emphasises that all three shareholders of DCS GmbH intend to drive the electrification of cars forward.

bmwgroup.com, bmwgroup.com (update)