York council tenders five year EV charging contract after BP Pulse exits four years early
By Eve
City of York Council has approved tendering a five year contract for maintenance, servicing and installation of public EV charging infrastructure after current operator BP Pulse withdrew four years ahead of schedule. BP Pulse cited inability to meet contractual obligations on tariff setting and confirmed no new chargers would be installed from this year. The network includes chargers in council car parks and HyperHubs at Monks Cross and Poppleton Bar Park and Ride sites, though opposition councillors described much of the infrastructure as defective or not working.
Why it matters: The early contract termination highlights commercial risks when tariff structures are set annually by local authorities rather than operators, a model that may deter future bidders. Procurement teams will need to balance resident affordability goals against operator revenue certainty to attract credible tenders for the five year replacement contract.