It will provide 50kW DC fast-charging at 10 Shell service stations across Singapore by October 2019

SINGAPORE – This morning energy company Shell inaugurated its new electric vehicle (EV) charging station network, with the first charging point now open at its service station on 61 Sengkang East Road. 

The network, called Shell Recharge, will be integrated into Shell’s existing petrol stations, which is a first for Singapore and, the company says, Southeast Asia.

Existing EV charge points/networks such as those introduced by SP Group and Greenlots are located chiefly in commercial, industrial or residential area carparks. 

The company says that by October 2019, the network will expand to nine additional locations to cover a fifth of Shell’s total retail network here. These new locations are Newton Hooper, Alexandra, Yishun, Ang Mo Kio, Paya Lebar PIE, Choa Chu Kang, Boon Lay, Havelock, and Bukit Batok West. 

The population of electrified cars (electric, plug-in hybrid, and hybrid cars) are the highest they’ve ever been, and continue to grow quickly, so it’s a crucial first step for Shell which becomes one of the few public EV charging providers here. 

Ms Aarti Nagarajan (General Manager, Shell Retail Singapore), Mr Chng Kai Fong (Managing Director, Economic Development Board) and Ms Aw Kah Peng (Chairman, Shell Companies in Singapore)

“We believe that on-forecourt/station charging will provide an essential and convenient on-the-go charging solution for EV drivers. As the demand grows, we may consider rolling out Shell Recharge to more stations across the network,” says Ms Aarti Nagarajan, General Manager, Shell Retail Singapore.

Charging stations have both direct-current (DC) fast-charge capable of up to 50kW output, as well as AC chargers with 43kW charge rate. 

The charging stations are manufactured by ABB and similar to the DC fast chargers setup by SP Group in January this year, which were the first DC fast chargers available to the public in Singapore, and which also have 43kW AC charging. 

A 50kW charger would deliver a full charge to pretty much any EV here within two hours, although EV charging – like smartphone charging – isn’t a simple case of battery capacity divided by charge rate, as it’s dependent on temperature, battery state and other factors. 

That aside,  a Jaguar I-Pace which has a large 90kWh battery would take roughly that time, although the usual claim is that a DC fast charger can deliver an 80 percent charge in half-an-hour. A more mainstream EV, such as the Kia Niro EV or Hyundai Kona Electric would be able to travel at least 200km with a half-hour DC fast charge. 

Shell Recharge costs S$0.55 per kWh, so a full charge of a Jaguar I-Pace would cost you S$49.50, not insignificant but still far cheaper than a full tank of petrol for a car of that size/class. 

SP Group’s current DC fast charge cost is slightly cheaper, at S$0.47/kWh, but Shell is betting that the convenience of topping up at a Shell station rather than a carpark will give Recharge a small edge, as well as a rewards programme. 

Shell Recharge customers also get a free coffee at Deli by Shell, which was part of the revamp of the company’s retail network launched in 2017 expanding the convenience facilities and customer experience. Shell also says it aims to draw fleet customers with the benefits of its EV charging locations and one-card-for-everything approach with the Shell Fleet Card. 

To begin charging, customers need to download the Greenlots app, order an RFID card, then top-up credits. At the charge station, they tap the card on a sensor, which unlocks the charger. 

Recharge customers also have access to the existing EV charge network run by Greenlots, which has slower AC chargers in a wider network with 100 stations at more than 50 locations islandwide. Greenlots was acquired by Shell in January this year.

The transition away from cars powered by combustion engines will take decades, a view that Shell itself supports. The company aims to provide lower-emissions fuels in addition to electric charging in future. 

“During the transition to a low carbon future, Shell believes that different fuels and engines will develop and co-exist to meet the growing demand for mobility with lower emissions,” said Ms Nagarajan.