Bharat Petroleum to expand retail offerings, EV charging network

Mumbai: State-run Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) is revamping its marketing strategy to sell more than just fuel as it looks to expand its market share. The country's second-largest fuel retailer, with a market capitalisation of ₹1.33 lakh crore, plans to invest ₹10,000-12,000 crore this fiscal to expand its retail offerings and services aimed at making travel easier and more convenient.

The company is targeting an increase in its market share from 29.9% currently to 32% by 2030, a senior company official said. "We are moving away from being product-centric to solution-centric. We want to immerse ourselves in the customer's energy journey," Subhankar Sen, Director (Marketing), BPCL, told ET, adding it would be the company's biggest-ever marketing investment.

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A key part of the strategy is expanding its EV charging network. BPCL has installed fast chargers every 100-150 km on major highways under its eDrive brand. It said it has covered about 50,000 km of highways, enabling EV travel on routes such as Mumbai-Bengaluru, Mumbai-Srinagar and Mumbai-Kerala. The network currently records over 1.72 lakh charging sessions every month.

BPCL believes concerns over charging availability and driving range continue to discourage EV adoption. It expects its charging network to help address these issues. The company is also expanding its Drive Fresh initiative, which provides clean washrooms at fuel stations. It is scaling up Be Cafe, its food and beverage brand, across fuel stations as well as airports, malls and high streets.