Didi, BP set up JV for NEV charging stations

Chinese mobile transportation platform Didi Chuxing has teamed up with British Petroleum (BP) to build a joint venture for developing and operating charging stations for new energy vehicles in China, the company said on Thursday.

Currently, BP's first charging station built in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou has connected to Didi's charging platform for trial operation.

Didi Chuxing on Thursday says it has teamed up with BP to build a joint venture for developing and operating charging stations for new energy vehicles in China, August 1, 2019. [Photo: VCG]

After the establishment of the joint venture, the construction and operation of the charging stations will be further accelerated, according to Didi.

"As the world's largest EV market, China offers extraordinary opportunities to develop innovative new businesses at scale, and we see this as the perfect partnership for such a fast-evolving environment," said Tufan Erginbilgic, BP's downstream chief executive.

As Didi has a large user base, BP expects the charging stations to be popular once put into use, which will also help BP further expand its advanced mobility business worldwide, according to Tufan Erginbilgic.

Didi Chuxing operates under its own brand in China, Mexico, Australia and Japan. It also acquired 99, Brazil's leading rideshare company, in January 2018. A global ride-hailing investment and partnership network connecting DiDi with seven major international players now serves over 1,000 cities and reaches over 80 percent of the world's population, according to the company.