Why EV Charging Stations May Not Be at a Gas Station Near You

EV Charging is definitely a hot topic these days with all the money being thrown at it but there are still some hurdles to get by before they become as ubiquitous as gas pumps. It all comes down to power and profit.

"... gas stations are impeded from gaining much, if any, profit from EV charging, due to government regulations on how power is sold, including exorbitant demand charges."

DC Chargers will definitely drive demand charges given that most people are going to be charging when it is convenient to them - to and from their destinations. They way power is currently delivered, "..convenience retailers are hit with demand charges from electric companies because they are considered commercial users of electricity when a customer uses their EV charger to juice a battery. A demand charge is not just based on how much electricity convenience retailers use but the highest consumption they have over a short period of time." 

Given this hurdle, it likely does not make economical sense for gas stations to install EV chargers even if customers make purchases while charging. How much is someone really going to spend? This becomes the sticking point when have fully funded government programs that essentially monopolize infrastructure. 

“No rational business owner would get into the EV charging market if they know they’re going to have to compete against a government-sanctioned monopoly.”

Even with this significant hurdle, EV charging is still coming on strong. Have you ever been to a Buc-cee's? They tout themselves as the world's largest convenience store. They also sell gas, usually with dozens of pumps at each location. Do you know what else they have? EV charging stations and not just a couple of them either - anything this chain does, they go all in. Whether its beef jerky or EV charging stations, they are definitely committed.

Buc-cee's is not the only one either, Shell recently bought Volta, based in San Francisco, for $169 million to get into the EV charging market and BP is there also. Whether or not these companies have thought through whether or not this was a profitable idea for them, they are pursuing anyway and I am pretty sure they are very aware of where markets are shifting. Electric vehicles are here and are not going away and the shift from gas to EV vehicles is not slowing down anytime soon.