Global oil giant Shell recently installed a 258-stall charging station, its largest electric vehicle station to date. The facility, which is located near the Shenzhen Airport Terminal in Shenzhen, China, catered to over 3,300 EVs per day during its trial phase.
The construction of the facility was completed in partnership with BYD Electric Vehicle Investment Company Limited and includes a convenience store and driver lounge. The facility also has rooftop solar panels that can generate up to 300,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, which will speed up the rate of charging for EVs.
"The opening of this new site is part of our ongoing commitment to meet the evolving needs of our customers in China," said István Kapitány, Shell's global executive vice president for mobility. "We know that EV drivers are looking for a charging experience that is fast, convenient, and comfortable, and this is reflected in the utilization rates of our sites in China, which are two to three times the local industry average."
Despite Shell's decision to install this enormous EV charging station, those aware of the dirty energy giant's business model claim that moves like this — publicly promoting its clean energy offerings — are meant to change the company's public image.
In Shell's press release on the new station, it stated "Shell and BYD signed a strategic cooperation agreement to help accelerate the energy transition." Yet, it is clear that Shell is not trying to accelerate the energy transition.
In recent months, the corporation has abandoned climate pledges, misled the public, and continuously broken laws endangering public health. "Just 1.5% of Shell's capital expenditure has been used to develop genuine renewables," according to the Guardian.
Historically, the movement to construct EV charging stations has been plagued with uphill battles and investments — and it's been one of the reasons why companies aren't jumping at the opportunity to construct the facilities. Different EVs require different connective equipment, which makes it difficult for companies to cater to all kinds of EVs at charging facilities.
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