- Research from Konect, the EV charging ecosystem branch of Gilbarco Veeder-Root, has found that of 633 U.S. fuel retailers surveyed, 88% are concerned around charge point market competition, as EV drivers familiarise themselves with charging at existing home, office, and destination chargers.
- With International Energy Agency data predicting that 71% of new passenger cars sold in the U.S. will be fully-electric by 2035, Konect is hoping to offer an all-in-one charging solution for fuel retailers.
- While a significant number of ICE vehicles will continue to require fuel stations in the U.S. for the coming decades, the fast rise of EVs creates a new market opportunity for these retailers, at existing locations.
Konect survey reveals new EV charging insights
In the survey, the wide majority, 85%, of fuel retailers surveyed believe that charging demand will increase over the next five years. From those surveyed who already have EV chargers on side, 41% said part of their motives for installation was not only revenue directly from charging, but also to boost traffic to ancillaries at the site, such as shops and restaurants. However, these specific retailers still had two key concerns regarding these operations – with price competition (89%) and maintaining high uptime (82%) listed as key worries.
On the side of fuel retailers who were yet to implement EV charging stations on their sites, the three most common barriers to implementation were initial costs, uncertainty on return-on-investment, and complication of installations.
On the back of the survey results, Konect is hoping to convince more fuel retailers to adopt its turnkey EV charging solution, which integrates all aspects of an EV charging installation, from securing funding, construction, and ongoing maintenance and support.
Om Shankar Konect’s Vice President & General Manager, commented:
“Our research shows fuel retailers across the United States are already making a success of EV charging by fully integrating it into their business. By looking beyond selling electrons, they’re complementing existing revenue streams while enjoying the fastest possible return on investment. However, we also recognize that this process can seem daunting. Konect’s solution is designed to alleviate fuel retailers’ concerns, enabling them to deploy their own robust, profitable EV charging and compete for a slice of tomorrow’s more diverse mobility ecosystem.”
For more insights into the United States’ EV transition, the US EV SUMMIT is running next week at the University of Texas, Austin, with a number of insightful panels on the future of EVs in the country, along with the opportunity to network with key figures in the industry. Secure your delegate passes before it’s too late, here.
