French oil super-major Total announced on Tuesday that it has acquired London’s largest EV charging network, Source London, with over 1,600 on-street charge points across the city.
Total signed the acquisition of Source London, the trading name of company Blue Point London, which was owned by French transportation company Bolloré Group. Launched in 2010, Source London has been developed in cooperation with the London Boroughs and currently account for over half of all charge points in operation around London.
Importantly, Source London is only expected to continue to grow in the coming years, bolstered by the City of London’s ambition to become carbon neutral by 2050, which includes a goal of increasing the number of EV charge points tenfold within five years.
Source London’s more than 1,600 EV charge points are conveniently located on-street allowing EV owners the opportunity to park and charge at the same time, and the ability to reserve your place through the Source London mobile app.
Total has further committed to ensuring the Source London EV charge network will continue to be powered by 100% renewable electricity, to be supplied through the company’s subsidiary Total Gas & Power Limited.
“By combining today these existing infrastructures with Total’s know-how in terms of installation, operation and management of public electric vehicle charging networks, we are starting a new phase, supporting the expansion of electric mobility in London.” said Alexis Vovk, President, Marketing & Services at Total.
“In collaboration with our partners and the local authorities, we will be able to meet both the strong growth in demand for on-street charge points and the needs for new mobility solutions of London users.”
Total are already involved in the installation and operation of EV charge point networks in the Metropolitan Region Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, and the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. The company’s acquisition of Source London therefore serves to reinforce the company’s growing position as a European electric mobility leader.
Total aims to operate more than 150,000 EV charge points throughout European cities by 2025.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.