Shell chief executive supports call to bring petrol and diesel ban forward

Shell has backed calls for the UK to push the accelerator on plans to ban new petrol and diesel cars.

The company’s chief executive, Ben van Beurden, said he welcomes the idea of bringing forward the ban, which is currently set for 2040.

It comes just a week after the sale of Chargemaster, the country’s biggest electric charge network, to BP for a reported £130m.

Tim Payne, CEO of InstaVolt, said: “It’s clear the oil and gas industries, along with forecourts, are speeding up their EV plans. They are looking to ensure they are ahead of the curve for 2040 and it’s promising that a firm as huge as Shell would support a quicker ban.

“Between this and the BP acquisition of Chargemaster it seems the ‘big boys’ of the industry really are in the midst of incorporating EV charging into their offering.”

Speaking to The Guardian, Mr van Beurden said bringing the ban of new petrol and diesel car sales would give clarify and make it easier for companies like his to make investment decisions and shift consumer attitudes.

He told The Guardian: “If you would bring it forward, obviously that would be welcome. I think the UK will have to go at a much higher speed than the speed the rest of the world can go.”

Shell has already begun installing electric car chargers on its forecourts. Last year it switched on its first EV charging points in the UK, in London, Surrey and Derby. The company has also bought NewMotion, one of Europe’s biggest electric vehicle charging providers.

InstaVolt is working with several forecourt operators across the UK to install EV chargers on their sites for free and with a rental income. Among the big names it’s working with is Certas, which operates across the UK.

Find out more about InstaVolt’s offering to forecourts.