Osprey Charging Installs its First Shell Recharge Charge Point
First of what promises to be thousands of fast charge points installed at a Shell forecourt as part of major new partnership
Electric vehicle (EV) charging specialist Osprey Charging Network is today celebrating after successfully installing its first Shell Recharge EV charge point at Shell Hovefield service station.
The installation is part of a partnership between the two companies in support of Shell’s goal of developing an EV charging network for Shell dealer sites across England, Scotland and Wales. Under the deal, Osprey will fund, install, and operate high-powered 175kW Tritium chargers under a lease arrangement, with all units operated under the Shell Recharge brand.
Osprey already operates a public charging network in the UK of over 200 EV charge points, with charging capacities ranging between 50kW and 175 kW.
The business secured £50m of funding in 2019 to deploy over 2,000 rapid chargers through to 2024 and as such Osprey are targeting multiple Shell dealer forecourts in 2021 as it expands its roll-out programme.
Launched in 2017, Shell Recharge is a subscription-free, on-forecourt EV charging service boasting over 100 EV charge points at Shell forecourts across the UK.
The oil giant is now aiming to double the size of the network to 200 charge points on forecourts by the end of 2021, before growing its EV charging network to over 5,000 charge points on forecourts and in new locations by 2025.
Bernie Williamson, Shell UK general manager, said the forecourt roll out was likely to prove critical to the continued expansion of the UK’s EV fleet. “For electric vehicle use to grow more rapidly, drivers need to feel confident that there are convenient and reliable means of recharging their vehicles when they are travelling,”
He said. “With Osprey supporting the development of our EV charging offer at dealer owned sites, we will be able to continue serving busy customers at convenient locations as we aim to be the leading brand for on-the-go rapid charging.”
Ian Johnston, CEO of Osprey Charging Network, welcomed the opening of its first Shell Recharge chargepoint, prediting that the partnership would “help us to reach more EV customers through the Shell Recharge branded network”.
Source: businessgreen
