BP has entered into an agreement to purchase Chargemaster, the UK’s largest electric vehicle (EV) charging company, for an undisclosed sum.

Chargemaster operates the UK’s largest public network of EV charging points, with over 6,500 across the country. It also designs, builds, sells and maintains EV charging units.

BP already has a network of 1,200 service stations across the UK and a key priority will be the rollout of an ultra-fast charging infrastructure across those sites.

This will include installing 150kW rapid chargers capable of delivering 100 miles of range in 10 minutes. BP customers in the UK can expect to access BP Chargemaster chargers on forecourts over the next 12 months.

Tufan Erginbilgic, chief executive, BP Downstream, said: “Bringing together the UK’s leading fuel retailer and its largest charging company, BP Chargemaster will deliver a truly differentiated offer for the country’s growing number of electric vehicle owners.

“At BP we believe that fast and convenient charging is critical to support the successful adoption of electric vehicles. Combining BP’s and Chargemaster’s complementary expertise, experience and assets is an important step towards offering fast and ultra-fast charging at BP sites across the UK and to BP becoming the leading provider of energy to low carbon vehicles, on the road or at home.”

BP estimates that there will be 12 million EVs on UK roads by 2040, up from around 135,000 in 2017.

BP said the development of EV charging technologies and networks is a key part of its strategy to advance the energy transition.