The Gas Station Model is Dead
With the rise of electric vehicles, the gas station model will be left behind for more convenient options
Electric vehicles are on the rise. In some countries (especially in Europe), they’re already becoming a common sight on roads.
Yet, how consumers will charge their vehicle remains one of the largest barriers to adoption. In a recent Consumer Reports survey, a lack of public charging stations was the most common concern among the public (over 48% of respondents).
In light of this, many jurisdictions are using policy to increase charging options for consumers. A growing group of people advocate for charging stations to be paired with gas stations — and this approach seems to be picking up traction.
Among the public, policies like this appear quite popular; a recent Canadian survey found that 89% of people wanted electric vehicle chargers installed at every gas station. Germany recently announced that they will require all gas stations to provide electric vehicle charging as well.
Despite being well-intentioned, these policies make little sense. The vast majority of people have only ever known a gas vehicle, so it seems natural to think of electric vehicle (EV) charging as operating on a similar model as stations…
