BMW and National Parks UK have announced a three-year partnership to help to make the 15 National Parks more accessible for electric cars. 

The UK’s 15 National Parks are visited over 100 million times each year and 90 per cent of these visits are made by car. 

BMW’s Recharge in Nature project will expand the existing chargers on offer with the installation of Pod Point recharging posts at key locations across the parks. 

The Lake District National Park is the first location, where the installation of recharging posts has already started. It was chosen because it is the most visited of all the National Parks and because the enhanced recharging network has the potential to support local communities as well as to increase travel choices for tourists. 

Pod Point electric vehicle charging points are being installed at three key locations: the Waterhead car park in Windermere, Hawkshead and Coniston. The points will be available to all drivers, not just BMW owners. 

Over the next three years, BMW will also work with National Parks UK to support locally delivered initiatives, focussed on enabling more sustainable tourism, nature restoration, biodiversity and wellbeing through the Recharge in Nature Fund. The first Recharge in Nature Fund grant will support the restoration of dew ponds in the South Downs National Park. It will then roll out to support projects within Snowdonia, Dartmoor and Loch Lomond & The Trossachs in 2023, with projects at the other 11 National Parks to be confirmed.

Chargers are open to all drivers