LONDON – Royal Dutch Shell has opened the first of its charging stations for electric vehicles at U.K. gasoline stations, Bloomberg reports. Shell plans to have 10 stations with rapid charging points by the end of 2017.

Three locations in Derby, London and Surrey currently have the Shell Recharge service, with an additional seven locations in Reading and London to get the service over the next 60 or so days. “With sales of diesel cars declining, it’s vital to have charging points for electric vehicles in service stations, car parks and on our streets,” said Shirley Rodrigues, London’s deputy mayor of environment and energy.

The United Kingdom has more than 8,000 gasoline stations, but those stations have been closing at around 100 each year. Oil industry researcher Wood Mackenzie predicts that Britain may have 6,000 gas stations by 2035. Over the summer, the government said it might mandate service areas along highways and large gasoline stations to have charging stations. Britain also indicated it would forbit the sale of new diesel-fuel vehicles by 2040. 

Shell joined with Allego, a charging infrastructure company, to offer the service. Last week, Shell bought NewMotion, a European EV charging company. Bloomberg New Energy Finance predicts a growth the popularity of EVs in the mid-2020s as battery prices decline and more people switch to electric cars.