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.