Shell is reducing its ownership in Volta Media Network.
The oil company has signed an agreement for Australia-based Jolt to acquire a “substantial” portion of Shell’s Volta Media Network, Jolt announced Wednesday.
The acquisition marks the technology-driven business’ official entry into the U.S. market, with sites spanning up to 34 states and 64 Designated Marketing Areas (DMAs), including Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas–Fort Worth, Jolt said in a statement. The agreement, subject to closing conditions, is expected to close on Jan. 1, Jolt said, adding that Shell was advised on the transaction by Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, New York.
The acquisition follows the news in August that Shell is shutting down its electric vehicle (EV) charging company, Volta Inc., which it acquired in 2023 and integrated into its Shell Recharge Network, two sources told media company AdExchanger.
The Volta Media Network includes a network of over 7,200 digital out-of-home screens on Shell Recharge EV charging stations, according to Shell USA’s website. Shell USA is a subsidiary of Shell plc., London.
CSP Daily News reached out to Shell for comment but did not receive a reply by press time.
“This acquisition will accelerate our mission to make it faster, easier and simpler for drivers around the world to switch to electric vehicles,” said Doug McNamee, Jolt CEO. “The Volta Media Network and Jolt share the same DNA—combining EV charging with a powerful media platform—making this acquisition a natural fit.”
McNamee said combining EV charging with digital media sit squarely in Jolt’s sweet spot.
“We’ll bring our innovation and operational discipline to maximize their value for drivers, advertisers and landlords,” he said.
- Shell is No. 39 on CSP’s 2025 Top 202 ranking of U.S. convenience-store chains by store count.
Shell serves about 8 million customers per day with a brand presence at approximately 12,000 gas stations across 49 states. It owns and operates nearly 200 convenience retail sites. Globally, Shell serves around 32 million customers per day at its mobility sites, who visit for quality fuels, electric vehicle (EV) charging and convenience and non-fuel products and services.
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