bp and Piaggio Group plan to work together to develop and roll out two- and three-wheeled electric vehicles across Asia and Europe. The partnership will bring together Piaggio’s extensive e-vehicle production operations and infrastructure management capabilities with bp’s expertise and global reach.
The companies says the aim is to support the growing adoption of electric two- and three-wheelers globally to help address city congestion and reduce pollution in urban areas.
Under their memorandum of understanding (MoU), Piaggio Group and bp, along with affiliate Jio-bp in India, will explore opportunities to work together to offer charging and battery swap stations, as well as developing all-encompassing services such as ‘Battery as a Service’ (BaaS) – leasing, management and recycling of vehicle batteries – and ‘Vehicle as a Service’ (VaaS) – leasing, repair, maintenance and smart energy management of these vehicles.
Initial efforts and focus will be on India, where Jio-bp and Piaggio are already engaged in developing electric vehicle solutions.
The companies also intend to explore opportunities in broader Asia – in China, Indonesia, and Vietnam – and in Europe.
Richard Bartlett, bp’s senior vice president, future mobility & solutions, says: “The huge and fast-growing two- and three-wheeler market is already leading the way for electrification, and we see great potential for continued growth across both Asia and Europe.”
He adds: “Working closely with Piaggio Group – a world leader in this market – we will aim to develop and deliver the innovative services that customers will need. This will support the growth of rapid and truly convenient urban mobility using zero tailpipe emission vehicles, enabling reductions in air pollution and helping cities in their efforts to decarbonize.”
Michele Colaninno, chief of strategy and product of the Piaggio Group, comments: “Working together with bp will help us deliver our idea and offer of a mobility revolution. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to promote the widespread adoption of electric vehicles such as motorbikes, motor scooters and compact commercial vehicles equipped with battery swap technology or plug-in charging, thus encouraging a more sustainable life-cycle management of batteries and greater respect for the environment. Working with bp is an incredible starting point to enhance our strategy.”
bp is aiming to have over 70,000 public charge points by 2030.
