Electric vehicles continue to make inroads in the minds of consumers who are eager to “go green” in their vehicle choice and leave a smaller carbon footprint. Within the petroleum industry, how to become a part of this up-and-coming market—namely through electric vehicle charging stations—is drawing the attention of petroleum marketers. Up to now, charging stations have rarely been located at petroleum stations. Also, there has been no charge for using these charging stations.

The typical convenience store has 15 to 20 parking spaces. If several of a store’s parking spots are reserved for recharging, that will play a role in current profitability centers. Considering how long it takes to charge an electric vehicle—typically 10 times longer than liquid gas fueling—a retailer has put a huge limit on the ability to get people in and out of the facility.

“Electric vehicles are all the rage with politicians but not with consumers, and they make up a very small portion of the market,” says Dan Kish, senior vice president of policy at American Energy Alliance. “Consumers are rightly afraid of range anxiety and battery replacement costs, which can be almost two-thirds of the cost of the vehicles. Moreover, the U.S. is much, much more dependent on China for all of the minerals and parts that go into EVs than we ever were on the Middle East for oil. ... That is giving some people pause at this time when we are reevaluating our relationships on all levels with China.”