Frequently asked questions

The bp pulse home charger communicates via mobile signal. This complies with all the government regulations regarding smart chargers.

Sometimes, mobile signal may drop or move in your area and the unit may not receive a strong enough connection in order to communicate. If there is no mobile signal at the property, the Smart functions will not be able to work, but it will still be able to function as a normal home charging unit.

bp pulse is an approved supplier under the government’s EVHS (Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme) from the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles (OZEV). We handle the application for you and collect the subsidy from the government on your behalf.

If your access card is lost or stolen, you can request a new one in the app or you can call our customer care team. This will disable your existing access card and we’ll send a new one to your registered address. A replacement fee of £10 will be added to your next invoice. If you need to charge before your new card arrives then you can do so using the app.

The easiest way to cancel your subscription is by cancelling your direct debit with your bank directly. If you were a subscription member before 3rd December, you may also be able to login to the website to cancel your subscription. Your access card will stop working immediately and any existing credit will no longer be available.

When you log back into your account on the app, your account will be updated to show you as a free member. For security reasons, we cannot cancel your subscription over the phone or by email.

Sometimes. If you’re using one of our standard or fast charge points then you will need to take your own Type 2 charging cable with you.The cable will lock into place once you start your charge, so it can’t be removed while you’re away. You’ll be able to release it once you have stopped your charge.

You won’t need it if you’re using one of our 50kW or 150kW charge points.

The bp pulse network has over 8,000 public charging points. As subscription member or a pay-as-you-go user, you can charge up and get back on the road quickly. Check out our live map for full details of all the charge points on the bp pulse network.

In short, it depends.

The speed of charging is determined by the power of the charge points (7kW, 50kW or 150kW), your vehicle’s battery size and your vehicle’s charging capacity.

Subscription members enjoy our best value tariffs to charge on the bp pulse network, starting from £0.28/kWh. You’ll also get access to free charging on selected bp pulse points as well as a physical access card, all for just £7.85 per month. Oh, and all new members get the first 3 months’ subscription free!

As a PAYG user, tariffs start from £0.35/kWh. You can pay with your contactless bank card at most of our 50kW units and all 150kW chargers, with tariffs starting from £0.35/kWh. For full details regarding pricing please visit out live map or our pricing page here.

Charging on the bp pulse network is an app driven experience. You can register your details on the bp pulse website or you can download the bp pulse app and sign up.

On all communicating units we provide you with a login to our backend charge management platform. From here, you can monitor energy useage and general utilisation.

We advise to follow the instructions on the screen of the charge point as sometimes these vary slightly depending on the unit.

Generally, you will first select the connector for your vehicle and plug it into the car. Then present your access card to the RFID reader and wait for authentication to be confirmed on the screen. Your cable will lock into place and the charge point will confirm initiation of charge.

To disconnect, simply present your access card to the reader again and the charge will end. Disconnect your cable and if relevant place it back into the holder on the charge point.

Sometimes, your vehicle may have a secondary locking system you will need to disengage before the cable will release. If your cable is still stuck, please call us on 0330 016 5126 and our customer care team will try to help.

Yes. Our installations are carried out by our own installation company and we do not normally use sub-contractors. Our installation team consists of electrical engineers, groundworks and civils team ensuring a complete service for every install.

All our charge points come with a comprehensive 3-year parts and labour warranty as standard. Should you encounter any problems, our dedicated 24/7 customer care team are always available to assist

Each charging point can benefit from an annual maintenance and care package which includes 24/7, 365 days a year Engineer support and two on-site maintenance inspection.

Yes. All bp pulse charging points communicate over OCPP including our own charge management platform.

The bp pulse public charging network has over 7,000 public charging points available nationwide.

Your recommended height is between 750mm and 1200mm.

The Government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) currently provides a grant to organisations looking to install electric vehicle charging facilities – The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS). The scheme offers financial support of £500 towards the up-front cost of each electric vehicle charge point purchased and installed – limited to 20 across all sites.

The bp pulse7 charging points are supplied with industry standard Type 2 sockets and are fully compatible with every new electric or plug-in hybrid cvehicle currently available in the UK. Our bp pulse50 units come with CHAdeMO, CCS and Type 2 cables and our bp pulse150 units come with CHAdeMO and CCS cables

Yes. You can go for an activated unit which opens the charger for general use, or use a key to control access to authorised users. Alternatively, you can install a communicating unit with access controlled by use of an RFID access card.

Our installation and customer service advisers will work with you to ensure your unit is installed as quickly as possible and at a time that is convenient for you. It is worth noting that we can install your charge point up to 4 months prior to receiving your car.

It depends on the speed of the charger you have installed, the battery capacity of the car and your vehicle’s on-board charging rate. For a fully electric vehicle such as a Nissan Leaf, we estimate a charging time of 3-4 hours if you have a 7kW and around double that if you have a 3kW charger installed.

The only way to achieve the impressive MPG figures quoted by the car manufacturers is to keep your battery charged whenever and wherever possible. A bp pulse home unit is the fastest, safest and easiest way of doing this every time you park up at home in the same way you charge your mobile phone.

This can vary with each energy provider, but the average price across the industry is 10.3p per kWh (about £2 to £3 for a full charge on a car such as a Nissan Leaf).

A tethered bp pulse home charger has a built-in charging cable with a connector dedicated to your vehicle type. A socketed unit offers a more future-proof solution – with its universal port, any vehicle can charge using a public charging cable.

No, the tethered cables are built to an industry standard of 4.7m and extenders are not available.

If you have a unit with data communications you can access your home charging data usage at http://home.bpulse.co.uk/.

Our team can help with moving your charger with you to your new property. Contact us for more information or to get a full quotation on 0330 0165126 or hcapplications@bp.com.

A Meter Point Administration Number, also known as MPAN, Supply Number or S-Number, is a 21-digit reference used in Great Britain to uniquely identify electricity supply points such as individual domestic residences. It is normally shown on your electricity bill. You will be asked for your MPAN number as part of the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles (OZEV) grant process.

No, it comes through your normal electricity supply and you pay for the electricity used on your normal electricity bill. The cost of your charging sessions depends with each energy provider and battery size, but the average price across the industry is 10.3p/kWh (about £1 for a PHEV to £3 for most BEV’s)

Our units come with a 3-year on-site warranty and are extremely reliable. However, if you do have a problem, get in touch with us via 0330 016 5126 or heretohelp@bp.com and our customer care team will be able to assist.

The bp pulse home charger communicates via mobile signal. This complies with all the government regulations regarding smart chargers.

Sometimes, mobile signal may drop or move in your area and the unit may not receive a strong enough connection in order to communicate. If there is no mobile signal at the property, the Smart functions will not be able to work, but it will still be able to function as a normal home charging unit.

A standard installation includes the cost of a 7kW charger with a cable run under 15 meters to be fixed flush to the wall (cable not trenched or hidden behind walls, through joists, under tiles/carpets/floorboards, aerial or subterranean runs), in compliance with current wiring regulations and the IET Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation. It also assumes that correct electrical connections and protections are available on the property, and that no civil works or electrical remedial works are required.

bp pulse is an approved supplier under the government’s EVHS (Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme) from the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles (OZEV). We handle the application for you and collect the subsidy from the government on your behalf.

The Scottish government has recently announced a change in guidelines that may affect bp pulse home charger installations during the COVID-19 pandemic. This means that if your bp pulse home installation is not essential, we may ask you to tell us in advance so we can reschedule your installation.

Payment of your bp pulse home unit will be requested upon verification of vehicle make and model to ensure eligibility of the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles (OZEV) grant. One of our advisors will be in contact to discuss your application with you and process the payment* based on the information provided at time of application.

*total balance subject to document verification and technical requirements for installation

Using a 13A socket is not recommended by the government and car manufacturers and is a very slow way to charge your vehicle. Drawing this amount of current on a continual basis can put too much strain on some wiring systems and can be dangerous and create a fire hazard. The use of an extension leads from a 13A plug is definitely not recommended as this can overheat under the continual load.

Our bp pulse home units are wired directly into your consumer board (fuse box) and therefore do not overload your home’s ring main. Our qualified electricians assess each installation on a case by case basis, ensuring that the correct cabling is always used. This means they are completely safe to charge for long periods of time.