You could soon be able to charge your electric car alongside petrol pumps, as Shell UK is currently working on introducing them to its service stations as early as next year.
Emails released after a Freedom of Information request from anti-pollution site DeSmogBlog shows that Shell officials have discussed introducing both electric chargers and hydrogen fuel pumps.
The emails also show that the fuel giant has asked the UK government how serious it is about wireless charging roads, which can charge electric cars without the need to plug it into a charger.
Electric charging points and hydrogen pumps
It marks a radical new departure for the company, which in the past has largely backed biofuels as a better alternative to petrol and diesel rather than electricity or hydrogen.
Asked by the Guardian if the emails confirm that Shell is developing charging points, a spokeswoman said: “We are examining the potential to introduce electric vehicle charging points across some parts of our UK retail network from early 2017 onwards.”
It’s not clear how many of Shell’s service stations would get electric charging points or who will provide the technology, but the move would put the company into competition with firms like Ecotricity and Tesla.
Radical departure for fuel giant
Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows that there are around 20,000 electric vehicles on UK roads as of last year, a number which has slowly but steadily increased.
Lobbyists and policymakers see electric cars as the best way to tackle pollution and meet climate targets, but a group of MPs warned earlier this month that the UK is failing to encourage take-up fast enough.
