Shell to dismantle Volta Charging sites in the US

Shell will wind down Volta Charging and its associated Volta Media division, dismantling a network of more than 2,000 electric vehicle charging stations by the end of 2025. The decision follows the company’s shift towards high-speed public charging at Shell-branded sites.

Image: Hubject

Shell will close Volta Charging and Volta Media, a business model combining EV charging infrastructure with digital advertising. The company acquired Volta in 2023 for $169 million. In a statement to AdExchanger, Shell said the decision was part of its strategy to “focus on high-speed public charging at Shell-branded sites like service stations and standalone EV hubs.”

Volta was established in 2010 and began integrating display screens into its chargers in 2016 to generate advertising revenue. This approach allowed chargers to be installed in high-traffic retail locations such as shopping centres and supermarkets, with a portion of the advertising inventory often allocated to the host retailer. For example, Volta worked with Walgreens in the US. 

In the beginning, things were looking up, and Volta even listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021. However, by late 2024, the company recorded annual losses of approximately $140 million, AdExchanger reports.

At the time of the acquisition, Shell noted that it “seeks to unlock robust, long-term growth opportunities in electric vehicle charging.” However, AdExchanger states that, according to individuals familiar with the matter, Shell did not pursue operating a programmatic advertising sales business as a core activity.

Probably motivated by Volta’s high losses, Shell allegedly also explored the sale of Volta earlier in 2025 but did not secure a buyer. As a result, the company will dismantle all Volta chargers by the end of the year. Operations at Volta Media will cease in November. The closure affects approximately 190 employees. Shell stated that some will have opportunities to apply for roles in other parts of the organisation.

adexchanger.com

13 Comments

about „Shell to dismantle Volta Charging sites in the US“
WWinVA
08.08.2025 um 22:13
Shell turned free chargers into the most expensive charging option around. A Volta Level 2 charger at the local Wegmans, previously free, post Shell acquisition has a $1 session initiation fee and 50cent/kWh charging cost. That's more than the high-speed Level 3 chargers on the other end of the same parking lot. This business probably had a future, just not under their management.
EVLover
11.08.2025 um 08:20
Way to go fossil fuel environment destroyer, Shell. Buy out Volta then completely shut them down. There must have been better options for sale, since these were level 2, not DC fast chargers. We still remember a Shell level 2 EVSE in Flagstaff, AZ which cost more per kWh than the nearby Tesla Supercharger cost. Their DC fast charger was more than double the Supercharger cost, too.We will never use any EV charging connected to Shell or any other fossil fuel dinosaur company, EVER!
Melanni
08.08.2025 um 23:40
Kind of going backwards in the charging network in the USA. Thanks (for nothing), Shell. The article mentions the failure affects 190 employees, but how many EV drivers does it affect? Removing functioning chargers is such a waste.
nathan hate
09.08.2025 um 04:17
One of the worst decisions was selling out to shell. Having a $75 hold on your account just to charge is insane. Even uglier, they are only lvl2 chargers. Never thought I would welcome the insane $50 hold that other garbage charge company requests. Who is charging their car that much in one sitting. Have to pay with a card/phone/watch (fancy) any damn way. Does shell still charge a hold to get their dirty gas?EvGo still the best and hardest to find where I live. With only one site available.
Kam
09.08.2025 um 06:59
Shell is evil oil company that wanted to buy Volta and shut it down eventually. I been using Volta free charging stations for past 3 years. Hopefully another company starts offering free charging services in the future. All these oil companies like Chevron, shell and many more are the reason why people are moving away from gasoline cars to EV Cars.
Scott
09.08.2025 um 18:41
At all the Volta charges I've seen, people just take advantage of the free electricity and ignore the stores nearby and I'm sure any advertisement. I've seen them park, charge, and take out a bicycle and ride away. I've seen people be picked up by other vehicles, as well. So the idea was good, but people abused it.
EVLover
11.08.2025 um 08:24
All the Volta EVSEs in California had 2-4 hour limits, which high parking fines if those limits were exceeded, so I doubt many EV owners here plugged in and took off on a bike for a full day at work, without getting heavily fined!
Harry Tuttle
09.08.2025 um 21:58
Giving up the Cosplay and joining the industry's immoral war against EVs.
bou qingshan
09.08.2025 um 23:25
So now shell has screwed Greenlots and Volta, really solidifies my decision to not patronize them.L2 is better for retail where the customer may be there an hour. L3 costs more and takes less time.Volta & Greenlots RIP
DAVID COLLIER
10.08.2025 um 03:08
Have you try to sale Volta to Elon Musk ?
Michael Prentice
10.08.2025 um 04:48
Sounds like they bought it just to squash posible competition. Then ran it into the ground and killed it.
M.H.
10.08.2025 um 12:51
Just cut up my shell gas cards. I have electric and gas cards. I am so disappointed in shell buying voltage and making electric charging complicated, that is will avoid their gas. Sad this petroleum company works for profit rather than making driving a better experience.
Jay
11.08.2025 um 08:06
Volta’s business model was doomed with high cost, vandalism-vulnerable equipment with new power runs across acres of asphalt, rather than close to existing panels. Worst of all, they followed the Blink 2011 plan of video advertisements, and neither company EVer sold any significant ads. Then to add insult to injury by switching from free to very short time limits, then imposing the highest rates in any market? Designed to fail.

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