Shell considering EV charging points

Shell service stations has confirmed it is considering featuring electric car charging points from next year, according to The Guardian.

A freedom of information request by DeSmogBlog found emails that shows that Shell staff and government transport officials discussing options for both electric cars and hydrogen fuel.

A Shell spokeswoman said, ‘We are examining the potential to introduce electric vehicle charging points across some parts of our UK retail network from early 2017 onwards.’

Shell would be competing with companies such as Chargemaster, Ecotricity and Tesla, which have all been expanding networks of charging points in the UK.

David Martell, CEO of Chargemaster, which owns more than 4,000 of the UK’s 12,000 chargers, told The Guardian, ‘I think it’s great. They see the tide moving toward electric cars and they want a piece of the action. They’d be crazy not to, wouldn’t they? We are in discussion with a number of fuel companies. We fully expect the first charging points to be put in in the next year [by fuel companies].’

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, there were 20,000 100% electric vehicles on the road at the end of last year.