PETROL stations are predicted to become a thing of the past as electric vehicles allow drivers to fit charging more around their lifestyles.
As electric vehicles become more popular drivers will be able to incorporate charging into day to day activities such as visiting a supermarket or while they are at work. That’s the view of leading UK charging provider Pod Point who have partnered with Tesco to provide charging facilities in hundreds of branches around the country. Their CEO Erik Fairbairn told Express.co.uk many people assumed they would charge an electric vehicle in something resembling a petrol station, however this often didn’t match reality. Instead he explained charging would likely come in a variety of settings to reduce the time taken out of peoples’ days.
“We say about 97 percent of all energy flows into electric cars at something other than something that feels a bit like a petrol station.”
POD Point Rollout at Tesco Stores (Image: Tesco/POD Point)
A number of forecourts have begun to feature electric charging options with Shell opening its first all electric charging hub in Fulham.
Mr Fairbairn said in general terms such an approach could be a dead end although there would still be a role for service station style options for long distance journeys.
“It’s not fair to say none are required but it’s certainly significantly the minority and the future of the petrol station network in the UK in 10 or 20 years looks nothing like what we’ve got now” he explained.
“The vast majority of petrol stations in my view probably don’t really have a role to play in the electric vehicle future.”
In the long run companies such as Pod Point want to rollout charging points in every parking bay however this would require a big increase in the number of electric vehicles to encourage the investment.
Read more: Express
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