Shell plans rapid charging roll-out across UK
Plans are being put in place by Dutch energy firm Shell to have an average of one or two rapid chargers on forecourts by 2025, according to media reports.
The Times and UK Investor have reported that 500 petrol and traditional fuel forecourts owned by the energy company will have rapid chargers, numbering around 5,000 EV points across the UK by 2025.
The news, which follows its acquisition of charging network Ubitricity earlier in 2021 by Shell, will also see the firm looking at on-street public charging in a bid to become a market-leader in the sector following the release of its decarbonisation and sustainability strategy. The move will see the energy giant become carbon neutral with 500,000 charging points globally by 2025 and as many as 2.5 million by the end of the decade.
The announcement was made by UK head Sinead Lynch, who said the “ambition” was for 5,000 chargers by 2025 and “that’s not just going to be on the forecourts” with what she dubbed “destination charging” in areas such as supermarkets.
The energy firm owns directly around half of its forecourts with the remainder being franchises. Lynch said that sites near to major roads – such as A roads – could have more than the one or two planned for the majority of its stations with the cash spent “wisely where the commercial case is strongest”.
According to the reports, Shell would continue to remain a “hybrid” fossil and renewables model for decades although it was also announced that it would eventually stop selling petrol at some sites.
Image courtesy of Royal Dutch Shell
