Total joins EV charging trade body in Europe

Total said it has joined the ChargeUp Europe alliance, which claims to be the voice of the electric vehicle (EV) charging industry in Europe.

The membership reflects its “strong commitment to electro-mobility,” Total said, noting the common vision with ChargeUp Europe is to deliver a “seamless charging experience for EV drivers, incentivizing investment and creating a consumer-centric, open market model for charging.”

Total plans to operate 150,000 EV charging points by 2025, as part of its ambitions to become a net-zero company by 2050 or earlier.

“We are delighted to be the first broad energy company to join the ChargeUp Europe alliance,” said Pierre Clasquin, EV Charge VP at Total. “The EU has been a pioneer on the path toward carbon neutrality … As all electric mobility players on the continent, we have therefore a key role to play.”

Clasquin added that by joining the alliance, Total will be in a better place to facilitate advocacy for policies that encourage investment and facilitate the adoption of EVs at the European level.

The Brussels-based trade body was created six months ago by Allego, ChargePoint and EUBox Group to accelerate the switch to zero emission mobility in Europe. It currently has nine members.

The once “Big Oil” company has now rebranded itself as a “broad energy company that produces and markets fuels, natural gas and electricity.”