Shell to push for 50,000 EV charging stations by 2025
Royal Dutch Shell has laid out plans to fit 50,000 new electric vehicle charging stations across the UK by 2025 as it seeks to operate around one-third of the market by the mid-decade.
The Anglo-Dutch energy company acquired Ubitricity, the UK's largest EV charging operator with over 2,700 stations, in February seeking to increase accessibility for EV drivers who do not have access to private charging stations.
Read more: Shell to buy UK's largest EV charging operator
Its plans will see it work with local authorities to set up charging stations across the country for "little to no cost".
The scheme should work alongside an existing government programme to provide funding for councils to set up public EV charging within their jurisdictions - potentially covering as much as 75% of the cost, requiring local authorities to make up the other 25%, which is where investment from companies such as Shell comes into play.
Transport is currently the UK's leading cause of carbon emissions, and while the government has taken steps to alleviate this, criticism has been levied owing to a lack of available charging stations for consumers already making the switch the electric vehicles.
The UK government have also pledged to ban the sale of fully-petrol and diesel cars by 2030, and have imposed a similar ban on combustion-powered lorries by 2040.
This has led to a scramble for UK-based EV manufacturers to significantly increase production, which may prove difficult with the ongoing semiconductor shortage.
Companies such as Nissan have revealed plans to invest in battery gigafactories in a bid to make battery supply chains more robust, reduce dependence on predominantly East Asian suppliers and ensure similar shortages do not occur in the future.
Mining company Glencore also recently invested in Britishvolt, which has plans for a UK-based gigafactory. The miner will be looking to supply cobalt, one of three key metals in the production of car batteries.
Read more: Glencore invests in Britishvolt for first UK gigafactory
More than 60% of UK households do not have a driveway or garage, which means private EV charging may be difficult - a number that only increases when social housing is taken into consideration.
This means easy access to public charging stations will be essential in helping the UK meet its electrification goals..
David Bunch, Shell’s UK Country Chair, said: “It’s vital to speed up the pace of EV charger installation across the UK and this aim and financing offer is designed to help achieve that.
“Whether at home, at work or on the go, we want to give drivers across the UK accessible EV charging options, so that more drivers can switch to electric".
The UK Committee for Climate Change recently recommended that the UK needed 150,000 public charge points operating across the UK by 2025. Shell's announcement should help the government reach one-third of this total, giving other investors four years for the country to meet its goals.
On a global scale, Shell wants to install at least 600,000 EV charging stations within the same time frame. The group has already set itself a target of becoming net-zero by 2050, but has been facing difficulties in Europe due to what some groups consider unambitious climate goals as it looks to shift away from fossil fuels.
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UK Transport Minister Rachel Maclean said: “Together with industry and local authorities, we can create cleaner, greener local communities – providing EV charge points for people without off-street parking across the country.
"As more and more people make the switch to electric, this is a great example of how private investment is being used alongside Government support to ensure that our EV infrastructure is fit for the future. This is crucial as we build back greener and accelerate towards COP26.”
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