Shell plans 50,000 EV charging points – but beware oil majors bearing gifts

The initiative could help the government’s deal overcome a major challenge facing its electronic vehicle plans. But, argues James Moore, there are clear downsides

An EV charging point in London. There are nowhere near enough of them as the government plans to ban the sale of new petrol cars after 2030 (PA)

A game changer? Shell’s announcement of plans to instal 50,000 electric vehicle chargers in just four years sure looks that way.

At the end of last year, the government brought forward plans to ban the sale of new petrol cars by 2035 to 2030, a few months prior to the oil giant’s acquisition, for an undisclosed price, of charging specialist Ubricity, through which its plan will be implemented.

The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, as it is wont to do, got to the nub of the problem with Boris Johnson’s announcement: his administration has “a mountain to climb” if it is to achieve that goal. It faces multiple hurdles.