Royal Dutch Shell has accelerated its drive into the electric vehicle market by teaming up with Europe's fastest charging network.

The collaboration with Ionity, which is backed by major carmakers, will roll out across 80 of Shell’s biggest European petrol stations to allow drivers of the latest generation of electric cars to charge up in as little as five to 10 minutes.

The Ionity joint venture was formed in recent weeks by BMW, Daimler, Ford and Volkswagen with Audi and Porsche to create a network of 350kW chargers next to major highways in Europe.

The group has already clinched a deal with Austrian oil company OMV, rest stop operator Tank and convenience store chain Circle K in its bid to extend a high-power charging network across 50pc of all petrol stations by the end of the decade.

The innovation is likely to provide a major boost for the electric vehicle market by reassuring drivers that charge points will be available on long journeys, as well as offering an alternative if charging at home is not possible.