What do you think of BP Pulse Subscription?

[MonsterMonster]

I was looking at the BP Pulse with a monthly subscription and I was wondering if it is decent value and if they are reliable. Apparently it's the largest network of public chargers.

 

[teepee]

I've had a subscription for nearly two years now. I knew from the start that it didn't make financial sense but our local BP chargers won't start via the app and don't take contactless so the RFID card was the only option. I knew I was buying into the largest network with ease if access via the RFID card. That was when fast charging was 12p (and local Ubitricity lamposts were 24p) and rapids 15p with the subscription. Now, local BP fast chargers are 28p with the subscription but local Ubitricity lamppost chargers still 24p.

I haven't cancelled yet but it really is a no brainer now and I will be cancelling straight after Christmas.

I wonder if their new pricing structure is designed to encourage users out of subscriptions - there really is little incentive now.

 

[Jomarkh]

Can you get a month or 3 free to see if it makes sense for you to continue paying monthly

 

[teepee]

The rules certainly used to be that you get the first 3 months free - check if this is still the case

 

[Deleted member 7171]

I had 3 months free when I bought my Pug 18 months ago. Didn't extend it because it wasn't cost effective and the charger reliability was woeful. Only managed 1 charge without the need to call customer services (and be kept in a queue for ages).

Since our home charger was fitted last March I haven't needed to rapid charge again. I don't have a subscription to a single provider but have Octopus' Electric Juice as a back up and for the scant times I would need to rapid charge I'll the take the hit of a higher p/KWh.

 

[Hobbyist]

Revealed: UK electric vehicle charge point networks ranked - Zapmap

Find the most recent network rankings here: Zapmap's best en-route charging networks in the UK 2023-2024 New Zap-Map survey identifies the most and least...

www.zap-map.com

Bottom worst 3 network according to zapmap user surveys. Don’t waste your time and money.

Between the dino juice companies, at least Shell put in some effort. Seems to me like BP is just astroturfing to make EV adoption as undesirable as possible.

 

[5teep]

Tried the trial, never used a BP charger so tried to cancel when the first subscription invoice arrived, (because you have to cancel, they won't) 3 times I tried and it failed with one error or another so I ended up just cancelling the direct debit.

 

[5teep]

BP are hell bent on becoming the biggest EV charge company in Europe. Like many oil companies they first ignored it, then tried to sabotage it now are scrambling to protect their income stream by buying their way in.

 

[Jake]

I have had a BP (ex Polar) subscription for the last 5 years and have very rarely saved the monthly cost in reduced pence/kWh charges. I used to plan all my long distance journeys around BP recharge sites, usually Holiday Inns because they are easy to find and many of them had a rapid charger. In more recent years I now plan journeys based on Gridserve locations having multiple chargers and much more reliable than BP.

I suppose I ought to cancel my BP subscription but the lure of getting my "free" 4kWh+ charge whilst doing the weekly shop keeps me hooked. I haven't used a BP rapid charger since the price went up from 15p/kWh. Another hook is my home charger is BP and registers all usage in my account so I can see (BP) monthly charge costs at a glance.

My advice would be to not subscribe as the reduce pence/kWh charge is now minimal compared to half initially. Unless of course you find having a RFID card access more convenient but all modern Rapid chargers have contactless which I find just as convenient.

 

[Lovemyev]

I had the Polar Plus subscription for almost two years and it that time I hardly used it.
I knew at the time I would never recover the monthly outlay, but figured that the subscription at the time, was still worth having.
But I did make myself a promise that if they increased the price, that I would cancel my sub.
It just became to hard to justify the cost, set against the small amount of use to be honest.
If you are a regular user, then the sub makes sense.
But not for the occasional use case.

 

[teepee]

Cancelled my subscription today after nearly 2 years membership.......

 

[Mind the GAP]

Recently subscribed for the 3 month trial. Mainly because I was using a charger at a hotel that only worked with a card. It did take 7 weeks for the card to come through however, apparently they didn’t have my address and every time I called they didn’t know what was going on until one day a rep said that information had been available on there system from day one. Gave them my address and card arrived two days later. Financial not sure it makes sense so may cancel as soon as my 3 months is up. Found the BP units more reliable with a membership card.

 

[StEvnut]

I was looking at the BP Pulse with a monthly subscription and I was wondering if it is decent value and if they are reliable. Apparently it's the largest network of public chargers.

Try the 3month free trial. After that cancel. Unless you’re using the chargers frequently the subscription doesn’t make sense.

 

[Fluffykins]

I was looking at the BP Pulse with a monthly subscription and I was wondering if it is decent value and if they are reliable. Apparently it's the largest network of public chargers.

Strangely you can buy petrol at any BP forecourt without the need for an RFID card, app, subscription, Freemasons membership, matching socks. Just a bank card.

It's almost as if they were trying to create a walled garden and trouser cash.

 

[MGBok]

I really depends on the individual, some in South East swear by it if they don't have a home charger or the do high mileage in the SE.

For me it's a big fat no thanks here in my City in Yorkshire. I have a 7kw charger at home, 90% of my mileage is local and there is only 1 rapid here (I have several pod point rapids which are cheaper & others that cost more but they are there!) In addition my long routes take me to places where ecotricity (or whatever they are called now) or others are also available.

They maybe the biggest network but the Country is a patch work of big regionals so check zap map and see what's big in your region

 

[Esi]

I was looking at the BP Pulse with a monthly subscription and I was wondering if it is decent value and if they are reliable. Apparently it's the largest network of public chargers.

I had it for nearly 4 years but I have noticed that since BP took it over they had raised their prices from 9p a unit in 2017 to nearly 40p in 2021.
I cancelled my subscription as most of their units are out of service

 

[Gomev]

Try the 3month free trial. After that cancel. Unless you’re using the chargers frequently the subscription doesn’t make sense.

I took the 3 month trial for last summer, holiday time for when touring around. Cancelled it after the trial.
If the trial period is available still this summer, my missus may start a trial.