Table of Contents
Shell has converted its London gas station into an electric vehicle charging station !
The energy giant shows how gas stations may be converted to electric charging stations, but when will we see these in the United States?
- Shell transforms nine 175-kW chargers at UK petrol stations to EV charging, offering a means for stations to adapt to the EV future.
- Most EVs can be charged from 0 to 80 percent charge in 10 minutes using the 175-kW chargers.
- In the United States, a vast majority of EV charging stations were being erected as standalone stations without a local convenience store, and petrol stations are still not purchasing EV chargers in big quantities.
With the exception of a few well-traveled service areas on both coasts, there aren’t many gas stations in the US that have a high number of EV chargers at the time. Similarly, there aren’t many examples of gas stations that have been converted to EV charging stations and no longer sell petrol.
Shell, on the other hand, recently established an EV charging station in the UK, turning one of its petrol stations totally to EV charging. The station in Fulham, London, now has nine Tritium 175-kW chargers, providing the world a glimpse of future electric vehicle charging stations.
The Fulham EV station features two rows of canopies for EVs to enter nose-in, as if parking, and a single one-way lane going up to the café and convenience store, as well as a lounging space inside with Wi-Fi and other facilities. Even while the great bulk of the power will still come from the grid, the above canopy has built-in solar panels, which is a pleasant bonus.
The station’s 175-kW chargers are believed to be capable of charging most EVs from 0 to 80 percent charge in 10 minutes, making average trips comparable to those to gas stations.
EV drivers want a charging experience that is as quick, easy, and pleasant as possible. Shell Fulham intends to provide precisely that. As we progressively let EV drivers charge wherever they need it, it joins our growing network of Shell Recharge sites at forecourts and other places, our Ubitricity on-street charging network, and our Shell Recharge Solutions for homes and businesses. It also provides a look into the future of mobility for all of us.
said István Kapitány, Shell’s Global Executive Vice President for Mobility
The Shell Fulham station, among other things, provides a blueprint for how future gas stations may be laid out, with rows of nose-in slots to optimize the number of accessible places. This architecture reflects the notion that, in order to reduce wait times, future EV stations may attempt to offer a higher number of individual charging places than they now do for petrol pumps.
Another question is when we may expect to see comparable gas station conversions in the United States. It’s reasonable to say that the United States isn’t even in the early stages of EV adoption right now, with yearly EV sales at their current levels, so it’ll be a while before we see even 10% of gas stations with a charger or two.
It’ll take some time for a business plan for a comprehensive switchover to develop in certain high-traffic places, depending on geography, though we’ll probably see more of these stations in California initially than elsewhere in the country.
