Shell to Dismantle Volta Charging Sites in the US

Shell is winding down Volta Charging and its associated Volta Media division, dismantling more than 2,000 electric vehicle charging stations across the United States by the end of 2025. The move comes as the company pivots its focus toward high-speed public charging at Shell-branded locations, including service stations and standalone EV hubs.

Volta, founded in 2010, gained attention for combining EV charging with digital advertising. Starting in 2016, the company integrated display screens into its chargers to generate ad revenue, allowing chargers to be installed at high-traffic retail locations such as shopping centers and supermarkets. Host retailers often received a portion of the advertising inventory, with Walgreens among Volta’s notable partners. By 2021, Volta’s model had garnered enough attention to lead to a listing on the New York Stock Exchange, signaling promise for both EV infrastructure and ad-driven revenue.

What Went Wrong?

However, the initial optimism faded. By late 2024, Volta reported annual losses of roughly $140 million, according to AdExchanger. Despite Shell’s acquisition of the company in 2023 for $169 million, the business model — relying heavily on advertising revenue to support EV infrastructure — proved unsustainable. Sources familiar with the matter indicate that Shell did not pursue operating a programmatic advertising sales business as a core activity, further complicating Volta’s path to profitability.

Shell explored selling Volta earlier in 2025 but failed to secure a buyer. With no viable alternative, the company opted to dismantle the Volta network by the end of 2025. Operations at Volta Media are scheduled to cease in November, affecting approximately 190 employees, though Shell noted that some may have opportunities to apply for other roles within the company.

Lessons From this Deal

Volta’s rise and fall underscores a key lesson for the EV infrastructure market: charging networks must prioritize reliable power delivery over supplementary revenue streams. While the combination of free charging and advertising initially seemed promising, the model ultimately could not sustain operations. Shell’s decision reflects a shift toward high-speed charging hubs designed for both commercial viability and user experience, a move that may shape the next generation of EV infrastructure in the U.S.

The dismantling of Volta highlights the risks of innovative but untested EV charging business models. As the market matures, successful networks will likely be those that balance accessibility, uptime, and scalability — with advertising and ancillary services remaining secondary considerations. For EV drivers, the takeaway is clear: consistent, reliable charging infrastructure is critical, and flashy experiments, however intriguing, can falter without solid underlying economics.

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