Shell has opened its first electric vehicle (EV) charging hub in the UK in Fulham, London, where petrol and diesel pumps at an existing fuel station have been replaced with ultra-rapid charging points. A global pilot, this is the first time the company has converted one of its existing sites to cater solely for electric vehicles.
Shell Fulham features nine high-powered, ultra-rapid 175kW charge points, which can charge most EVs from 0-80% in around 10 minutes, three times faster than 50kW rapid chargers.
The hub also offers a seating area for EV drivers, with a Costa Coffee store and a Little Waitrose & Partners shop. The hub also features a sustainable design with solar panels built into the roof that provide around a quarter of the electricity the site needs. Shop front double glazing with highly insulating properties reduces energy use for both cooling in the summer and heating in winter, and the chargers run on 100% certified renewable electricity.
The hub’s canopy is constructed from sheets of timber glued together, which use much less energy to produce and transport than steel. Planning permission for the hub was received in early 2021 and the site opened in January 2022.
“EV drivers are looking for a charging experience that is as fast, convenient and comfortable as possible. This is exactly what Shell Fulham aims to offer,” said István Kapitány, Shell’s Global Executive Vice President for Mobility.
“It joins our growing network of Shell Recharge sites at forecourts and other locations, our ubitricity on-street charging network, and our Shell Recharge Solutions for homes and businesses as we increasingly help EV drivers to charge wherever they need it. It also gives us all a glimpse into the future of mobility.”
Shell Fulham features nine ultra-rapid 175kW chargers.
“It’s fantastic to see Shell leading the way with their brand-new charging hub, offering EV drivers an easy and rapid charging experience. With more people making the switch to EVs than ever before, this is exactly the type of facility we need to help make the transition as simple as possible for drivers up and down the country,” said Transport Minister Trudy Harrison.
“Shell’s new hub is a brilliant example of the UK’s huge effort to go-green and reach our important net-zero targets.”
EV sales in the UK have been accelerating rapidly over the past year. In December 2021, 36,041 new plug-in vehicles were sold, making up 33% of overall vehicle sales last month. It also means that plug-in vehicles represented 18.6% of market share in 2021.
Many charging networks have announced significant investment over the years to come in the UK’s charging infrastructure, which will likewise need to grow apace. In Shell’s case, the company has previously stated its ambition to install 50,000 on-street chargers in the UK by 2025 through Shell-owned company ubitricity. In July 2021, Shell also announced that up to 800 Shell charging points would be installed in as many as 100 Waitrose sites across the UK by 2025.
