Energy company Shell has enlisted Los Angeles–based engineering consultancy Aecom to deliver 200 ultrafast vehicle chargers in the Netherlands.

The ultrafast electric vehicle (EV) chargers will run at 150kW, and will be available at Shell stations across the Netherlands. Branded as Shell Recharge, the new chargers will be able to juice up EVs within 15 minutes – three times faster than current 50kW chargers.

In 2017, Shell was one of the first fuel retailers to install EV chargers on their gas station forecourts. As the shift to electric vehicles gathers pace, fuel retailers are re-examining their business models and incorporating infrastructure to support electric vehicles – especially in Northern Europe.

The Netherlands and Norway are generally noted as the countries with the highest per-capita EV market penetration, the strongest EV charging infrastructure, and most favorable citizen opinion towards the technology. They are also top countries for autonomous vehicle policy, infrastructure, and favorability.





The geographically small, densely populated, and prosperous country of Holland has the third most electric cars per capita (after Norway and Iceland), and the most highly developed charging infrastructure, with 23.23 charging points for every 100km, according to analysis from GoCompare. The US, in comparison, is eighth for EVs per capita, and 23rd for charging infrastructure.

“Electric mobility is one of the solutions that will help meet growing demand for transport in a lower-carbon world,” Hilmar van den Dool, general manager of Shell Retail for Benelux and France, said. “A suitable network of recharging infrastructure needs to be developed as the number of electric vehicles increases, to ensure that customers can charge their vehicles without disrupting. Shell aims to be market leader in this segment.”

Aecom previous worked with the Dutch-headquartered energy company on several Shell Recharge stations that were built last year in the Netherlands. The LA-based engineering and consulting giant is tasked with providing a number of services for the Recharge project, including engineering, procurement, construction management, design and consultancy.

“Having worked with Shell in the Netherlands on a number of projects, Aecom’s experts and specialists will continue to work closely with the team to better support the needs of their customers by ensuring e-mobility is more accessible for motorists across Netherlands,” Bruno Haerens, Netherlands country manager at Aecom, said. “This is an important step Shell is taking to achieve a lower carbon transport system for communities across the country and we are delighted to be part of it.”