CHONGQING - The first high-voltage quick charger station of AVATR Technology, co-founded with BP, has been formally established in Shanghai recently.
AVATR's high-voltage quick chargers can reach 240KW at maximum. "Charging 200 kilometers needs 10 minutes," according to the company's official introduction.
"Through cooperation with BP, AVATR can make up our shortage on the current charging stations network in the short term," said Tan Benhong, CEO of AVATR.
AVATR owners can use the AVATR app to find charger stations nearby. Other EV owners can use the BP app on Wechat to use the charger. (Photo provided to iChongqing)
BP is one of the world's largest privately owned oil companies. On June 28, 2018, BP acquired Chargemaster, the UK's largest EV charging infrastructure provider, with more than 6,500 charging piles across the UK.
Tufan Erginbilgic, CEO of BP Downstream at the time, said that this acquisition "brings together the UK's leading fuel retailer and its largest charging company to deliver a truly differentiated offer for the country's growing number of electric vehicle owners."
BP is cooperating with local charger producers in Australia and New Zealand outside the UK to build a charging station network in foreign lands.
AVATR is the first Chinese OEM BP cooperates in China. (Photo provided to iChongqing)
Entering China, BP is seeking direct cooperation with potential original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
The partnership with AVATR aims to help the EV producer to build its own quick charger station network. BP will lead the site implementation, voltage conversion equipment, and other inputs, while AVATR will be responsible for the equipment investment of charging piles.
According to the plan, by the end of 2023, the two sides will build more than 100 customized high-voltage fast charging stations in 19 cities across China. As a result, AVATR will become China's first intelligent electric vehicle producer to deploy a large-scale high-voltage charging network.
AVATR is also making efforts to interconnect with public charging networks. It has now connected to nearly 200,000 public charging piles, including mainstream operators like State Grid, China Southern Power Grid, TELD, and Star Charge, covering travel scenarios in urban business districts and along high-speed lines.