Shell opens its FIRST electric car charging points in the UK – but the price is STEEP

Shell has opened its first electric car charging points at forecourts in London, Surrey and Derby, with many more planned. But the cost is rather steep.

As we said when we reported on Motor Fuel Group’s EV charging plans at their 400 UK fuel stations, petrol stations need to add the ability to charge electric cars on their forecourts or lose out.

That might sounds a bit odd, but fuel stations make most of their revenue from the money drivers spend in the attached shop or cafe, and not from the fuel. And having a driver at a loose end for a while whilst their EV recharges is a big opportunity.

That’s why Shell is rolling out electric charging points on its UK forecourts, with the first three opening this week at Holloway in London, Whyteleafe in Surrey and in Derby, with more due to open in London and Reading before the end of the year, and many more next year.

Shell say their offering will allow most EV drivers to get an 80 per cent charge in around 30 minutes, and drivers will pay just a fixed cost per kWh for the recharge.

That’s all well and good, and the opening offer of 25p per kWh is not too excessive, but the plan is to make that an introductory offer with the price rising to 49p per kWh next summer.

That means it will cost you around £16 to charge your new Nissan LEAF to 80 per cent, and around £40 to charge your range-topping Tesla next year.

That may sound cheap as chips compared to refuelling a petrol engined car, but it’s a thumping mark up on the average 15p per kWh cost (and you can get it for less) of a domestic charge.

Especially when you add in the amount Shell will make from the ‘Lattes and Lunches’ it flogs the waiting EV drivers.