Will UK Petrol Stations Go Electric?

While the Queen doesn’t have much sway when it comes to politics, she does have a thing or two to say about the electric car revolution. According to plans outlined in a speech made by Her Majesty, it will soon be mandatory for British petrol stations and motorway services to offer drivers electric charge points.

Introducing the Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill

It’s a key part of the government’s plans to boost the number of electric vehicles on British roads, and fast-track the arrival of driverless car technology. Both are encompassed under the new Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill, which the Queen describes as an important part of its efforts to remain a “world leader in new industries.”

As well as introducing electric charge points the bill will also make it easier for drivers to extend car insurance to cover the use of automated vehicles. According to the bill this will “ensure that compensation claims continue to be paid quickly, fairly and easily.”

Britain invests heavily in electric revolution

With the British market for electric vehicles set to hit a huge £28 billion by 2035, the Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill has arrived just in time. The current government has also invested more than £200 million in research and testing infrastructure, in the hope that the advent of driverless cars will minimise road traffic accidents.

The UK has also committed to spending £600 million to support the rapidly growing market for low-emission vehicles. It’s money well spent, with the latest statistics revealing that in the first quarter of 2017, 13,800 ultra-low emission vehicles were registered on UK roads. This figure that marks a 17% increase from the same time last year.

Shell set to front the movement

Electric friendly petrol and service stations are the first step forward, with Shell already confirming that its will begin rolling them out before the end of the year. Its first chargers will offer 50kW recharging speeds, and will be available across Greater London and Derby.

While the electric car revolution is on the horizon, the world is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels. Over the past few years Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy(NMR) has played an important role in both the petroleum and the petrochemical industries. ‘Is Low Field NMR now a “Must Have” Technique for the Modern Petro Industry Laboratory?’ explores the latest advances, with a focus on the development of stable, cryogen free, rare earth permanent magnets.