Shell has launched its first European electric vehicle (EV) Mobility hub in Paris.

Aimed at the rapidly growing segment of car sharing, ride hailing and last mile delivery companies, Shell’s business-to-business (B2B) mobility hubs will provide drivers with dedicated electric vehicle charging services in the centre of the city and beyond.

The first hub, consisting of eight rapid chargers, is now open in central Paris, at Paris City Hall car park. It marks the introduction of Shell’s retail business in Paris – and the launch of Shell Recharge in France. The second hub, near Charles de Gaulle Airport, will be operational by the end of 2021. Charge point availability is central to the uptake of EVs and this hub helps address infrastructure challenges for B2B drivers. This pilot will also serve as a blueprint for Shell’s future installation activities.

Commenting on the launch David Bunch, SVP for Europe & South Africa, Shell Mobility said “Opening our first electric mobility hub in Paris is another important milestone in our journey to operating half a million electric charging points by 2025. Supporting the transition to electric mobility will play a big role in tackling climate change and we want to play our part by electrifying fleets and helping countries and cities, like Paris, deliver on their own low carbon commitments.”

Businesses, such as fleets, taxi drivers and commercial vehicle operators will be able to sign up to use the facilities. Shell will also be trialling a range of new services and customer offers which will be introduced in phases. These include options to pre-book charging points, refreshment and car care services.

This launch comes after Shell set out its strategy to accelerate its transformation into a provider of net-zero emissions energy products and services, powered by growth in its customer-facing businesses. This includes an aim to grow its global EV network to around 500,000 charge points by 2025 including 30,000 public charging points on its retail sites and at third party destinations. Transforming the mobility sector is a key opportunity for cities to decarbonise. A Shell Scenarios Sketch that describes pathways to achieve Paris’ low carbon ambitions was developed in collaboration with 45 public, private and civil society stakeholders, which led to a foundation of plausible solutions for the city of Paris