ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Shell has opened its first electric vehicle hub in the U.K., according to a news release.
In Fulham, central London, Shell converted one of its conventional fuel service stations into an EV charging hub featuring 10 high-powered, 175kW charge points. The hub also offers a seating area for waiting EV drivers, and it has a Costa Coffee store and a Little Waitrose & Partners shop.
The hub features a sustainable design with solar panels built into the roof that will generate renewable electricity for the site, and the chargers all run on 100% certified renewable electricity. The hub’s canopy is constructed from sheets of timber glued together which use less energy to produce and transport than steel.
According to the U.K. government, in early 2010 there were around 9,000 ultra-low emissions vehicles, or ULEVs, in the U.K. By early 2020, the number had risen to 317,000, which is an increase of over 3,000%. In the U.K., Shell currently provides customers with access to a public charging network of nearly 8,000 EV charging points, including its rapid and ultra-rapid Shell Recharge points on Shell forecourts.
EV vehicle charging infrastructure is a roadblock in EV adoption in the United States. The nation has about 110,000 charging stations now, but energy and auto experts say the U.S. needs at least five to 10 times that amount to make President Biden’s electric car plan work, while the EU has nearly 200,000 charging stations, and China has over 800,000.
Another roadblock in the driver transition to EVs is the availability of fast chargers, which charge an electric battery in 20 to 40 minutes, but they cost tens of thousands of dollars. These types of chargers are needed so EV drivers will be assured they won’t be caught with a dead battery and not near a charging station. Read more about electricity demand charges and what they mean for retailers’ ability to turn a profit from EV charging in the September issue of NACS Magazine.
A recent Convenience Matters podcast episode discusses how EVs are the future, and another episode explains how convenience retailers can attract and retain EV customers. A free NACS webinar helps retailers understand how EVs and environmentally conscious consumers will affect your business.