Major Gas Retailer Set to Close Hundreds of Stations, Michigan Locations Could be Affected

A Houston-based oil company announced that it would be closing hundreds of gas stations across the country, looking to focus more on supplying energy to the growing number of electric vehicles on the road.

Iconic gas brand Shell has released its plan to divest about 500 company-owned stores in both 2024 and 2025. The company outlined its plan to upgrade its retail network with expanded electric vehicle charging stations.

How Many Shell Stations Are Currently in the US?

Shell is currently one of the world's largest oil companies and one of the world's largest gas station retailers, operating more than 46,000 retail locations and 12,500 convenience stores worldwide.

In the United States, there are approximately 14,000 Shell-branded gas stations with locations in all but Montana.

How Many Shell Gas Stations Are in Michigan?

Shell is Michigan's third-largest gas retailer, with 413 stations statewide. Exxon Mobile and BP have a larger footprint in Michigan with 599 and 564 stations respectively.

While Shell has not disclosed what stations it plans to shutter in the next two years, its massive plan to close stations or convert current gas stations to electric charging stations is likely going to have an impact on almost every state where the retailer currently operates stations.

Increasing Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Shell is announcing an aggressive plan to increase its number of public charging stations to about 200,000 by 2030, according to The Street. It also hopes to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050.