What happened to Volta charging?
On March 31, 2023, Shell USA acquired the company for approximately $169 million. On August 4, 2025, Shell informed Volta employees that it would shut down the company and dismantle all charging stations by the end of the year; instead Volta was acquired by Australian company Jolt in November 2025. Shell acquired Volta in 2023 after the U. S.Shell bought Volta for $169 million in 2022. Turns out there isn’t much synergy between a programmatic out of home ad business and an oil and gas company. Volta lost $140 million in 2024 so Shell shut the business down.On March 31, 2023, Shell USA acquired the company for approximately $169 million. On August 4, 2025, Shell informed Volta employees that it would shut down the company and dismantle all charging stations by the end of the year; instead Volta was acquired by Australian company Jolt in November 2025.Shell is shutting down its electric vehicle (EV) charging company, Volta Inc. Shell Recharge Network, two sources with direct knowledge of the news told media company AdExchanger.
How does Volta make money?
The business model of Volta Charging is a unique combination of infrastructure service and digital advertising. While the company provides a vital service for electric vehicle owners, it also creates a valuable platform for brands and advertisers. The revenue model is primarily based on advertising. Free charging is often available at supermarket car parks, shopping centres, public car parks, and other kinds of businesses or attractions. You can use apps like Zapmap or PlugShare to locate free EV charge points near you.Typically, charging a vehicle at a Volta station is free, thanks to their reliance on advertising support. We can find their charging stations in California, Arizona, Hawaii, and many more states.
Why is Volta famous?
Alessandro Volta was an Italian scientist whose skepticism of Luigi Galvani’s theory of animal electricity led him to propose that an electrical current is generated by contact between different metals. Volta’s theoretical and experimental work in this area resulted in his construction of the first battery. Luigi Galvani, a doctor and physiologist, believed that he had discovered animal electricity (electrical body fluid existing naturally in a state of disequilibrium), while the physicist Alessandro Volta attributed the contractions to ordinary physical electricity.