Petrogiant Shell has switched on its first-ever EV charging hub in Britain, swapping out petrol and diesel pumps on the forecourt of one of its stations in London with high-speed plug-points.
The global pilot, at the Shell’s Fulham location, is built around nine 175kW charge points able to charge most vehicles from 0-80% within 10 minutes – three times faster than more widely used 50kW chargers.
“It's fantastic to see Shell leading the way with [its] brand-new charging hub, offering EV drivers an easy and rapid charging experience,” said UK transport minister Trudy Harrison.
“With more people making the switch to EVs than ever before, this is exactly the type of facility we need to help make the transition as simple as possible for drivers up and down the country,” she added, noting her government had committed £2.5bn ($3.45bn) to vehicle grants and infrastructure to support the switch to EVs.
István Kapitány, Shell’s global executive vice president for mobility, said: “EV drivers are looking for a charging experience that is as fast, convenient and comfortable as possible.”
The Fulham station, Shell’s first fuel-to-EV conversion, features a sustainable design including a timber canopy with built-in PV panels, and roof and shop windows that employ high-efficiency double glazing.
Shell has the stated ambition of installing 50,000 on-street chargers in the UK by 2025 through its ubitricity subsidiary, and last July announced that 800 Shell EV charging points would be installed in as many as 100 Waitrose grocery store sites across the UK by the same date.
“Shell Fulham… joins our growing network of Shell Recharge sites at forecourts and other locations, our ubitricity on-street charging network, and our Shell Recharge Solutions for homes and businesses as we increasingly help EV drivers to charge wherever they need it. It also gives us all a glimpse into the future of mobility,” said Kapitány.
Electricity supplied through the Shell EV charging points is certified by renewable energy guarantees of origins, meaning it is matched with the equivalent number of units from 100% clean-energy sources in the UK.
Shell currently operates 119 EV charging points on its forecourts across Britain, with plans to grow the network to over 5,000 by 2025.
