Royal Dutch Shell has demonstrated its commitment to be a major player in electrified Britain by laying out a strategy to install 50,000 on-street charging points by 2025. The massive roll-out of the installations will be achieved through the energy giant’s Ubitricity subsidiary, which currently manages around 3600 on-street EV charging points.
On-street charging points are typically installed in lamp posts and bollards which offer easy access for vehicles parked at the side of a road. However, if the UK is to meet emissions reduction targets which rely heavily on a transition to electric vehicles from petrol and diesel engines, the country’s charging infrastructure needs to be massively bolstered.
On-street charging points offering public access will be particularly important to the 60% of UK residents who don’t have access to private off-street parking at home. Data from Zapmap, an app that shows where publicly accessible EV charging points are located around the UK, shows there are currently around 25,000. The UK’s climate change committee has said it believes 150,000 will be required by 2025 to meet new demand and encourage drivers to make the switch to electricity.
Shell’s plan to contribute approximately 47,000 new charging points will make a major dent in the numbers needed but other providers will also have to step up. Shell also plans to install 5000 rapid and ultra-rapid EV chargers at fuel station forecourts and supermarkets by 2025, which could give it almost a third of the market. More if the 150,000 target isn’t met.
EV charging market share is a key component of Shell’s target to transform itself from oil and gas giant to net carbon neutral energy company by 2050. Globally, the company’s target is to reach half a million EV charging points under its management by 2025. That could rise, in the best-case scenario, to 2.5 million by 2030. It currently runs around 60,000 internationally.
The company will have to work closely with local authorities to achieve the efficiency that will be needed to meet its ambitious charging point targets. Shell will be expected to cover just 25% of the cost of installing the charging points with the remaining 75% covered by a government scheme.
Shell UK chairman David Bunch commented:
“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.”