Anglo-Dutch energy giant Shell is to add electric car battery charging centres at selected petrol stations in the Netherlands and Britain, the Telegraaf reported on Tuesday.

The paper bases its report on an interview with Shell’s downstream director John Abbott in the Financial Times. The number of battery changing centres was not disclosed.

French rival Total is working on a similar roll-out, the FD said. Both companies said they were making the move because of the rapidly rising number of electric cars operating in Europe.

Shell expects the charging centres to be commercially interesting. ‘When a customer is waiting to have the battery charged, he will probably want a coffee or something to eat,’ Abbott suggested.

The first charging stations will be in large population centres due to the limited range of electric cars. Shell has 600 service stations in the Netherlands and says the first will be installed before the end of the year.