BP eyes opportunity amidst Tesla Supercharger construction pause

Tesla's announced reduction in the expansion of its already extensive Supercharger Network has attracted the attention of potential buyers, with BP reportedly considering the acquisition of real estate and talent associated with Tesla's EV infrastructure plans.

According to BP CEO Sujay Sharma, the company is actively seeking to acquire real estate to accelerate the growth of its network, a strategy that has become even more prominent following Tesla's recent announcement. This news was initially reported by Bloomberg.

Last week, it was revealed that Tesla CEO Elon Musk had parted ways with several key members of its Supercharger team, as well as a significant number of lower-level employees involved in the program.

Musk clarified that Tesla intends to slow down the deployment of new Supercharger stations while focusing on expanding existing ones. He emphasized that the company will continue to build Superchargers, albeit at a reduced pace compared to before.

This announcement has spurred inquiries regarding Tesla's extensive Supercharger network in the U.S., especially with a significant consortium of automakers, including Ford, Rivian, General Motors, Hyundai, Polestar, and others, committed to adopting Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS).

These automakers are also gaining access to Tesla's 12,000 Supercharger locations in North America, with Ford being the first to do so in March.

Now, rival companies are eyeing these charging stations to bolster their own EV infrastructure. BP is among them, having put $1 billion at stake last year to expand its EV charging network.

With Musk effectively pausing new Supercharger projects, there are numerous parcels of land suitable for EV chargers now in limbo, awaiting Tesla's decision to resume charging construction or potentially embracing new projects from other companies.

BP appears eager to secure land identified by Tesla. Sharma is leaving no room for doubt, expressing his readiness to be contacted so BP can erect more chargers.

"If there are stranded real estate partners seeking assistance, they should not hesitate to reach out to me directly or find me on LinkedIn," he stated on the platform, as per the report.

The article is excerpted from Reuters.