Marks & Spencer is to install some 900 charge points at around 70 of its national stores under a new tie-up with BP Pulse.

The new charge points will go live within the next two years and a follow-up feasibility study will explore rollout at further sites

The new charge points will go live within the next two years under the initial phase of the partnership and will include a combination of ultra-fast (up to 150kW) and rapid (sub-50kW) charge points. A feasibility study will then be carried out to explore rollout at further sites.

The first 15 rapid charge points are already open at the M&S Maidstone Eclipse and Southgate stores on the back of successful pilot installations started in 2020.

The rollout will further the UK’s charging network, adding up to 40,000kWhs of charging capacity while significantly expanding BP Pulse’s network. The charging giant has plans to invest up to £1bn in UK EV charging infrastructure by 2030 – supporting its global ambition of having more than 100,000 chargers installed worldwide by 2030.

Akira Kirton, CEO at BP Pulse UK, said: “We aim to provide fast, reliable, and convenient EV charging to our customers that fits in with ‎their busy lifestyles and so, we are excited to extend our relationship with M&S to put high-speed charge points at their stores, growing our network even further.

“This is exactly the kind of collaboration the UK needs to help accelerate the transition to lower carbon transport and we’re delighted to be working with M&S to make that happen.”

For M&S, the tie-up fits in with its plans to “build a store estate fit for the future” and make it easier for customers to live a lower carbon lifestyle. The retailer’s Plan A goal is to become fully net zero by 2040 but it recognises customer support is central to this.

M&S director of operations Sacha Berendji said: “At M&S we’re reshaping the business for sustainable future growth in every sense. From our award-winning Shwopping initiative to our Fill Your Own refill concept, EV charging is the latest feature to ensure we have a store estate fit for the future, to help our customers live lower carbon lives. We know that services like EV charging are in demand from our customers, so we’re delighted to be offering this service and give more reasons for customers to shop with us.”

The charge point deal is the latest collaboration between M&S and BP, which have a long-standing relationship dating back to 2005 when M&S Food stores first went live at BP retail sites. BP Pulse already runs more than 250 charge points at some 60-plus BP forecourts that also offer M&S Food.