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Shell App EV FAQs

What is Shell Recharge?

Shell Recharge is Shell’s electric vehicle (EV) charging service.

How many Shell Recharge locations are open?

Globally, Shell has more than 60,000 public charge points at Shell forecourts, on-street locations, mobility hubs, and destination locations, like supermarkets. Shell intends to own more than 200,000 public EV charge points worldwide by 2030. In the United States, Shell Recharge currently owns and operates more than 4,000 charge points.

What speed are Shell Recharge chargers?

Shell Recharge offers a variety of charging speeds up to 360kW depending on the location and type of vehicle being charged.1 The majority of Shell Recharge stations are L2 chargers. The charging speed available at each location can be found in the Shell App.

What connector types are available at Shell Recharge locations?

Depending on the location, we provide connections for combined charging systems (CCS) and CHAdeMO on our fast, ultra-fast, and high-powered chargers, as well as SAE J1772 connectors on our L2 chargers. Shell only permits adaptors supplied by the manufacturer of the electric vehicle to be used.2 The charging speed and connector type available at each location can be found in the Shell App.

Where can I find my nearest Shell Recharge location?

All of our public charging locations and roaming partner stations can be found in the Shell App. You can find more information about the Shell App here.

How many chargers are provided at each location? Can I check if the charger is available / book one before I arrive?

The number of chargers varies by location. Although customers cannot reserve a charger in advance, you can check if a connector is available in the Shell App.

How do I pay for Shell Recharge? Do I have to be a member?

Shell Recharge operates on a pay-as-you-go basis, with no subscriptions. It is easy to pay using the Shell App. Some chargers also support credit card payments.

Why do I see a pre-authorization amount on my payment card?

When a charge session is initiated, a pre-authorization hold is placed on your payment card. This amount may vary depending on whether you are using the Shell App or a physical payment terminal at the charging station. A pre-authorization charge is a temporary hold on a portion of your credit or debit card’s available balance to ensure the card is valid and has sufficient funds for the transaction. This amount is not the actual transaction amount.

After the charge session ends, the final transaction amount will be posted to your account, and the pre-authorization amount will typically be released within 48 to 72 hours. This pre-authorization amount will not be posted to your bank account. Only the actual transaction amount will be charged to your card.

The timing for the pre-authorization hold to be released will depend on your financial institution/bank.

Is my electric vehicle compatible with Shell Recharge?

Shell Recharge is compatible with most EVs as our L2, fast (50kW to 100kW), ultra-fast (101kW to 150kW), and high-powered (151kW+) direct current (DC) chargers are designed to work with most vehicle types currently on the road. Depending on the location, we provide connections for combined charging systems (CCS) and CHAdeMO on our fast, ultra-fast, and high-powered chargers, as well as SAE J1772 connectors on our L2 chargers. Shell only permits adaptors supplied by the manufacturer of the electric vehicle to be used.2 The charging speed and connector type available at each location can be found in the Shell App.

How long will it take to charge my electric vehicle with Shell Recharge?

Charging speed depends on several factors, including outside temperature, type of car, size of battery and battery condition. Please check with your auto manufacturer for compatibility and further information. While the majority of the Shell Recharge network offers L2 charging, it is possible for some vehicles starting at 20 percent to get to an 80 percent charge in 30 minutes or less using our high-powered chargers (150+ kW).1

Do I have to charge for the full time or can I just top up for five minutes?

Shell Recharge is flexible, so customers can charge for the amount of time they require. Our chargers don’t have a minimum charge time.

Do I have to stay with my car while it’s charging?

You can leave your car while it’s charging and monitor progress through the Shell App. However, you should only leave your car in the Shell Recharge space for the time needed to charge your car. Idle fees may be charged on vehicles left in parking bays after charging sessions are completed.

What is the difference between ‘L2,’ ‘fast,’ ‘ultra fast’ and ‘high-powered’ chargers?

Level 2 chargers, also known as L2, typically offer charging speeds ranging from 7kW to 19kW. Fast chargers offer charging speeds ranging from 50kW to 100kW, ultra-fast chargers offer charging speeds from 101kW to 150kW, and high-powered chargers offer charging speeds of 151kW+.

How much does Shell Recharge cost?

You can find the real-time cost to charge by charger type and location in the Shell App.

In addition to the cost to charge, an idle fee may be applied if your vehicle remains connected to the charging station after the charge is complete. To see if the station you are using has idle fees, please check the pricing section in the Shell App.

What is EV Mode in the Shell App?

EV Mode in the Shell App allows EV drivers to easily find charging locations, make in-app payments, start and stop charging sessions, and check charging status.

How do I use the Shell App to start and stop a charging session?

Before charging, ensure your electric vehicle is parked properly with all doors closed and the vehicle powered off.

  • Make sure your vehicle is ready to begin charging.
  • Launch the Shell App, toggle to the EV profile, and select “Charge.”
  • Select a connector via the app and confirm payment details.
  • Plug the connector into your EV.
  • When finished charging, select “Stop Charging,” and disconnect the plug from your vehicle.

How do I use the Shell App at another networks’ station?

You can charge at one of our roaming partners’ charging stations using the same process you use to charge at a Shell Recharge location. Before charging, ensure your electric vehicle is parked properly with all doors closed and the vehicle powered off.

  • Make sure your vehicle is ready to begin charging.
  • Launch the Shell App and toggle to the EV profile.
  • Find one of our roaming partners’ charging stations via the location finder feature.
  • Select a connector via the app and confirm payment details.
  • Plug the connector into your EV.
  • When finished charging, select “Stop Charging,” and disconnect the plug from your vehicle.

What if I have a question that is not addressed here?

If you require support that is not addressed here, please contact the Shell Customer Care team at 888-895-0027 or email support@shellrecharge.com.

1. Charging speed depends on several factors, including temperature outside, type of car, size of battery and battery condition. Please check with your OEM for compatibility and further information. The majority of the Shell Recharge network provides L2 charging, however, a 150kW+ charger will charge most vehicles from 20% to 80% within 30 minutes in ideal conditions.

The various parameters that impact the charging speed/time during a charging session at a specific EV charger include (but not limited to):

a) Peak Charging Power accepted by the EV: For example, if the peak power that can be accepted by the EV is only 77 kW, even if that EV plugs into a 150 kW charger, it will only receive a max of 77 kW during a session. The peak power accepted by the EV is dictated by the voltage and current limits of the EV battery.
b) Ambient Temperature: If it is cold outside, the EV charging will be sluggish because the EV battery management system (BMS) slows down charging
c) Battery Temperature: Ambient Temperature will have an impact on the battery temperature; however, the battery could get hotter once the EV is being driven. Typically, a warm battery will be able to accept more power compared to a cold battery.
d) Battery State of Charge (SoC): The starting SoC at the time of charging will dictate the amount of power accepted by the EV during that session.
e) Battery State of Health: This has an impact on the instantaneous power accepted during the charging session.
f) EV usage prior to charging: Some EV manufacturers calibrate their battery management system (BMS) in such a way that the use of the EV prior to charging dictates the charging speed. For instance, if you had driven the EV for towing or high-speed driving prior to charging, the BMS would slow down the charging potential for a certain time period. In addition, for certain EVs, if you had already charged the EV a certain number of times in the past 24-hour period, the BMS limits the charging power.
g) EV charger current and voltage specification: For instance, many chargers typically have a maximum current specification of 350 A. An EV capable of 400 V would be limited to a certain maximum power from that charger even if the EV can accept higher powers levels from other chargers with a higher current rating. At the same time, an 800-volt EV could get higher power from the same charger.
h) Use of other loads while charging such as cabin AC, heating, lights or radio: This has an impact on the amount of time taken to reach the desired state of charge as some energy is used for that specific load during the session.
i) EV Charging energy losses: If you want to charge a 50 kWh battery (say from 0-100%), transferring 50 kWh energy may not be enough due to these losses. We would need to transfer more than 50 kWh energy, which means higher charging time than one would think for a charging session. These charging losses can be classified into: 1) Battery loss, due to heat generated in the battery pack 2) Cooling losses: some energy (especially at high power DC charging) is used to cool the battery components to prevent the heat generated from damaging any components 3) charger loss: due to heat generated in the cables and conversion of AC to DC at the charger.

2. Shell only permits the use of adapters supplied by the manufacturer of the electric vehicle to be charged. The use of third-party adapters is not permitted on the Shell Recharge network.