According to the National Association of Convenience Stores, there are approximately 40 million gasoline transactions daily, with most fuel stations open every day, 24 hours, seven days a week — demonstrating how much the transportation sector is contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.
Not many gas station owners are thrilled to include electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at their businesses to help address climate change. High initial investment with low return on investment is one reason why owners are hesitant to accept the idea. One owner said he expects it will take seven years to start making a profit off an EV charger, compared to a year or less from a new gas pump.
“We haven’t looked into it because there’s not really much profit,” Mehdi Mahmoodi, owner of 12 fuel stations across the Bay Area, told WTOP News.
Many automakers have promised to only produce EV models in the future. Mazda, Mitsubishi and Nissan intend to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, according to Car and Driver.
President Joe Biden has stated a goal of installing half a million EV charging stations across the country, WTOP News reported.
Eighty percent of charging stations are currently located at places like hotels, apartment buildings, car dealerships, shopping centers and parking lots -- but not at gas stations.
Alerts Sign-up