According to overseas media reports, Shell Ventures, a subsidiary of the Shell Group, is investing in Ample, an electric vehicle charging pile startup, to help it develop charging pile related businesses, and use the company's development to enter the electric vehicle field.
Shell invests in charging pile company, Shell enters electric vehicles
It is understood that Shell Ventures (hereinafter referred to as Shell) is leading a round of funding of US $ 31 million for Ample's Series A financing. Ample is a charging pile startup company whose main business is to provide electric vehicle charging solutions and manufacturing of charging piles. The company chose Shell as an investor, not only because it is at the capital level, but also to use Shell's existing gas station network to establish a charging site.
The Shell Group has also seen the current changes in the automotive industry and believes that the vigorous development of the new energy automotive industry will inevitably affect their existing traditional oil business in the future. Therefore, choosing to invest in a startup charging pile company is also the strategic layout of Shell Group in the field of electric vehicles.
According to foreign media reports, Ample may use a quick-change service model in the future, using power battery quick-change technology to quickly restore the endurance of electric vehicles, which is somewhat similar to the replacement station of Weilai Automobile. However, the success of this operating model will take time and market to verify.
Shell invests in charging pile company, Shell enters electric vehicles
In fact, this is not the first step for Shell Group in the field of electric vehicles. At the end of 2017, the group has already established a joint venture with European electric vehicle charging network operator Ionity (Company) has reached a cooperation agreement to establish charging stations at its operating gas stations. It is understood that Shell Group has recently acquired a charging network operator with more than 30,000 charging piles. The frequent shots by oil tycoons in the field of electric vehicles actually indicate from the side that the era of electric vehicles is coming.