​Bernie and Clyde might sound like characters from a film, but for electric car drivers they are real stars who are helping to shape the future of electric vehicle charging. We visited Shell’s ground-breaking new charging hub in Fulham, London to talk to two extremely important people, albeit in different ways; who are helping to steer its future.

We visited Shell’s ground-breaking new charging hub in Fulham

Most electric car drivers currently charge at home, purely because it’s convenient. You plug in and the battery charges while you are asleep. 

But occasionally even these drivers will need to top up while on longer journeys, and there are millions of other motorists who don’t have access to off street parking. For them, “filling up” at something resembling a conventional fuel station is convenient and natural. 

Shell currently has 1,100 filling stations in the UK, but it took the decision to rip out the fuel pumps at its site on the Fulham Road in South West London, and replace them with nine rapid chargers for electric vehicles. It’s the first site Shell has converted globally, and its success is being watched across the world. 

While drivers wait for the Watts to flow into their battery they can sup a skinny latte at the Costa, shop for dinner at the little Waitrose and will soon be able to pick up click-and-collect items from John Lewis too. All the charge spots are sheltered underneath a wooden canopy which keeps the rain off motorists, but also houses solar panels to help power the site. 

In charge of this pioneering project is Bernie Williamson, who heads up Shell's UK Mobility business. While she is working behind the scenes, it is Clyde, their new EV (Electric Vehicle) Champion who will be the face most customers first see upon arriving at Shell Fulham. 

As well as helping drivers to charge, he surveys every customer he sees to ask what they love about the Fulham hub, as well as how future charge points can be made better. 

As we pull in, Clyde is the one who greets us, checks that we are here for a charge and directs us towards one of the nine spots served by a 175kW DC rapid charger. 

Clyde, Shell's new electric vehicle champion, is ready to welcome you at their Fulham charging station

Despite being only open for a few weeks it is busy, and we have to wait for a few seconds while another driver reverses out after a top up. It’s certainly more ordered and less stressful than other charging hubs, where there can be a chaotic and stressful lack of queuing system or blocked bays. Clyde then directs us in and asks if we need any help. 

We are familiar with fast charging, but many drivers aren’t and come to Fulham to tap into Clyde’s expertise for their first ever plug in. “We get a lot of new electric car drivers here, because they know they will get the support here to show them how it all works,” he says. “I think some dealers actually suggest it when they hand the car over. I like teaching people though, so it’s not a bother.” 

Clyde will support new electric vehicle owners with their first ever charge

It's a two-way relationship though, and Clyde has an iPad permanently in his hand which he uses to record responses to a quick customer survey. The results are fed back to head office to help improve the service at Fulham but also to help shape the hubs of the future. 

These results land in the inbox of Bernie. The hub, called Shell Recharge Fulham road, is a special project for both Shell and Bernie; she checks all the figures and responses to see if things are going well. “We are a very customer-led business and we are always looking for what the customer wants,” she says. “They want to be able to do multiple things in one place in a short amount of time, as they are busy people. So here they can grab a coffee, get their food for tonight’s dinner, pick up a parcel at some forecourts, and of course Recharge all at once. It’s ultra convenient.”

Whilst their car is charging, Shell customers can use the on-site shop to grab a coffee or some groceries

Research conducted before the site was redeveloped showed that it was a perfect location for electric vehicle owners, especially taxi drivers. But the locals also said they wanted a well-stocked shop and a branded coffee outlet, even if they weren’t charging a car. As a result, the best-selling items from the Fulham site – besides electricity – are coffee and macaroni cheese ready meals. 

Has it been a success? “I’ve been bowled over,” says Bernie. “Every time a bay becomes empty, someone drives straight in and customers seem to love it.” As a result of the success, Shell has huge ambitions and by 2025 the company plans to have 55,000+ chargers across the Shell network in Britain, which includes forecourts, on street charging and ‘destinations’ such as charging in the carparks of Waitrose stores. "Some will be dedicated sites like Shell Recharge Fulham Road, others will have a row of petrol pumps and a row of chargers," she says. 

For now though, drivers will have to visit Shell Fulham to get a glimpse of how the future could look. “We do get a lot of people who just pass through to have a look at what’s going on,” says Clyde. “I have to spend a lot of my time telling drivers that they can’t get petrol here too! But I like to chat and 99.9% of people are pleasant and happy to see what we are doing.”

It’s clear that Shell has big charging ambitions and having seen Shell Recharge on the Fulham Road, we’re excited about what will be offered next!

Visitors to Shell Fulham can get a glimpse of how the future might look