Futuristic refueling as London's gas-free Shell station sets a new standard

Source: The Cool Down

One London gas station has totally reimagined what a refueling area can look like.

Since the beginning of 2022, a Shell station in Fulham, England, has removed all of its gas pumps to instead offer rapid electric vehicle (EV) chargers for those who need to recharge, as reported by Bloomberg.

The awnings over each charger are equipped with solar panels and can fully charge a Tesla Model 3 in about a half-hour, costing around $39. And this “gas” station is far more luxurious than what most people are used to.

Because charging EVs takes longer than pumping gas, the station offers more food and activities for customers while they wait. People charging their cars can get groceries, buy coffee, get their cars washed, or even take a breather in lounge chairs.

It makes total sense that Shell would want to install tons more gasless gas stations, too, as people are more likely to spend money on other goods if they have to stay a bit longer. But worry not, you won’t have to linger too much longer, as the EV chargers here are ultra-fast, several times quicker than the ones installed in people’s homes.

Financially, gas providers like Shell building more gasless gas stations makes sense considering the explosive growth of the EV market. McKinsey & Co. found that installing these nonfuel stations may represent a several billion-dollar opportunity for suppliers.

Shell currently is the largest gas retailer in the world with tens of thousands of stations across the globe. So it has the immense potential to prevent the burning of its own planet-overheating dirty energy sources by erecting more of these gasless gas stations.

The energy giant also has plans to create more EV charging stations across England, as well as in the U.S., with a goal of 500,000 by the end of 2025. Yet, it will be nearly impossible for the world to meet its sustainability goals unless dirty energy companies totally transform their operations.

It’s crucial that energy companies build a lot more of these chic refueling stations to help charge EVs. This London station is an example of what our future could look like.

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