Plans for more electric cars to get out on Britain's roads have been boosted as Shell has announced plans to install 100,000 public electric car charging points by 2030.

It would ensure that 90% of drivers would be within a 10-minute drive of a Shell rapid charger by the end of the decade, with 11,000 of the proposed sites located in areas such as garage forecourts and supermarkets offering rapid charging.

The remaining new chargers will be on-street units installed in places such as lampposts. These slower-speed points will have the capability to provide charge for vehicles over longer periods.

In addition to these public chargers, Shell expects to have some 500,000 chargers installed at private locations such as homes and workplaces by 2030.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Signage for an electric car charging point (PA)Signage for an electric car charging point (PA) (Image: PA)

Grant Shapps, UK Secretary of State for Transport, said: “The UK’s network of electric vehicle charge points is rapidly growing and we’re making it easier than ever for drivers to join the green transport revolution.

“It’s crucial that Government and industry join forces on this transition and Shell’s announcement today will provide a huge boost for drivers, making charging quick and convenient no matter where they are in the UK.

“This step forward supports the Government’s recently published £1.6billion Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy where we committed to making the charging network more affordable and accessible and I hope this news encourages more motorists to take the step towards zero-emission driving.”

These pledges fall on top of Shell’s announcement in September 2021 that it would be installing 50,000 on-street chargers by 2025 through the Shell-owned Ubitricity company.

Globally, Shell plans to operate 2.5 million EV charging points by 2030 as part of its plans to become a net zero emissions energy company by 2050.

David Bunch, Shell UK Country Chair, said: “Whether at home, at work or on the go, we want to give drivers charging options so that more can switch to an EV. Access to public charging needs to be made available to everyone, no matter where you live.

“This expansion is part of our planned investment of up to £25 billion in UK energy infrastructure over the next decade, 75 per cent of which will be in low and zero carbon projects. This is a huge investment in the UK energy system of the future.”