BP Pulse in Australia: What EV Drivers Need to Know

bp pulse is bp’s EV charging network, and in Australia it runs more than 250 charge points, available 24/7, mostly at bp service stations along the east coast. Chargers deliver up to 75, 150 or 300 kW depending on the site, with CCS2 and CHAdeMO plugs. You pay through the bp pulse app, by bp pulse card or contactless, and at selected sites time-of-use pricing makes overnight and weekend charging cheaper than peak hours. bp pulse publishes no rate card, so the app is the only place to see what your site charges.

How to pay at BP Pulse

BP Pulse is the only Australian network with tap-to-pay, making it the easiest to use without a smartphone:

• Tap-to-pay — use any contactless credit card, debit card or phone wallet at most DC chargers. No app, no account required.
• BP Pulse app (iOS, Android) — download, add a payment card, and you can also start sessions through the app.
• RFID card — available for fleet and business accounts.

There is no Autocharge and no roaming with other networks. The contactless option is unique among Australian networks — if you’ve ever wanted to just tap your card and charge, BP Pulse is the only place you can.

What is bp pulse?

bp pulse is the charging arm of bp, one of the larger EV charging operators globally, and it has been steadily building an Australian network since the early 2020s. The local logic is simple: bp already owns well-located service station sites on major roads, with lighting, toilets, coffee and 24-hour access, so adding DC fast chargers turns the servo into a charging stop.

Most Australian bp pulse sites are at bp service stations in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, with the network expanding through regular batches of new locations. The flagship project is a large charging hub at Melbourne Airport, 24 charging bays, slated for completion in 2026, which will be among the biggest single charging sites in the country.

For how bp pulse fits into the wider landscape of Chargefox, Evie, Tesla and the rest, start with our guide to public EV charging in Australia.

Where are bp pulse charging stations?

bp pulse charging is concentrated on the eastern seaboard, at bp service stations along major highways and around the capital cities. On our charger map the largest clusters are in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, with a smaller presence in Western Australia and the ACT, and the network grows in regular batches of new sites.

To find a specific bp pulse location three ways work well:

• The bp pulse app shows every site with live pricing and real-time availability — the most reliable source before you set off.
• Our interactive charger map plots bp pulse stations alongside every other network, so you can see what else is nearby if a bay is busy.
• Our state charger pages break the network down by region — for example chargers in NSW, Victoria and Queensland.

If you’re planning a long drive, don’t rely on a single bp pulse stop being free; the eastern-corridor servos can get busy at peak times, so check availability in the app and have a backup charger in mind.

How much does bp pulse charging cost?

Pricing varies by location, and bp pulse’s own pricing page describes its approach without publishing a single rate: live prices sit in the app, per site. The interesting wrinkle is time-of-use (ToU) pricing, which bp pulse has introduced at selected sites: you pay a different rate depending on the time of day, split into peak and off-peak windows, and the windows themselves vary by location.

When bp pulse switched time-of-use pricing on at its Heatherbrae site in NSW in October 2023, weekdays 7am to 10pm cost about 60 cents per kWh and nights and weekends about 50 cents per kWh, with most of the rest of the network reported at a flat 55c/kWh. That 10-cent spread is worth organising around if you charge regularly: a 50 kWh charge costs $5 less off-peak.

Be careful how much weight you put on those numbers. They are the most recent anyone has published, and they are nearly three years old: bp pulse has released nothing since, and a comparison in October 2024 was still quoting the same flat rate. Treat them as the shape of bp pulse’s pricing rather than the price, and check the app for your site before you plug in.

How do you pay?

bp pulse is one of the more flexible networks on payment. Your options:

• The bp pulse app, with a saved credit or debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayPal.
• A bp pulse card.
• Contactless payment.

That last point matters. Several Australian networks are app-only, which is fine until your phone is flat or the mobile coverage is poor. Having a tap-to-pay fallback is a genuine plus. For the broader rundown of how charging payments work across networks, see our guide to paying for public EV charging.

What speeds and plugs will you find?

bp pulse sites carry DC fast chargers rated at up to 75, 150 or 300 kW depending on the location. A 300 kW unit will charge most capable EVs from low to 80 per cent in 20 to 30 minutes; a 75 kW unit suits a longer meal stop. The app lists each site’s charger ratings.

Plug-wise, chargers are fitted with CCS2 or CHAdeMO. CCS2 covers nearly every EV sold new in Australia; the CHAdeMO leads are good news for older Leaf and early import owners who are running out of compatible fast chargers elsewhere.

What discounts are available?

Two standing offers, both confirmed on bp pulse’s own pages in August 2026:

bp pulse vs Ampol AmpCharge: the servo showdown

bp pulse’s most direct competitor is Ampol’s AmpCharge network, which runs a similar playbook: DC fast chargers at fuel station forecourts and shopping centres. The quick comparison:

Is bp pulse worth adding to your apps?

If you drive the east coast, yes. Servo sites are easy to find, open around the clock, lit and staffed where possible, and the payment flexibility removes a common failure point. The network is still mid-build, so don’t plan a remote trip around bp pulse alone, but as one of two or three charging apps on your phone it earns its place, especially if you qualify for the AGL or Uber discounts.

Sources: bp pulse Australia, bp pulse: pricing, bp pulse: locations, plus CarExpert (October 2023) for the rates bp pulse doesn’t publish. Network data and discounts verified August 2026; the per-kWh figures are October 2023 reporting, the most recent available.