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What’s an NPEV, and Will it Solve Our Retail and Infrastructure Problems?
A recent article by Jennifer Sensiba presented a few key points on the importance of demand, accessibility and location of traditional gas stations on U.S. roadways. In her article, “Why We Can’t Treat EV Charging Like Gas Stations,” she laid out the framework as to why so many gas stations are failed businesses, even in prime locations where gas stations should have otherwise thrived.
She pointed out that a simple analysis of traffic patterns and the surrounding environment would have prevented many of these incidents and, therefore, could have been avoided. In addition to those stations that have closed, some may have simply closed due to a crack in a storage tank or failure to operate according to code.
Sensiba also explained that although the traditional gas pump may have worked for previous generations, we must reconsider the needs of electric vehicles and their drivers when preparing for an all-electric future.
A Wide-Open Opportunity
Gas stations are a $250 billion a year industry, and there are over 120,000 gas stations in the country. This doesn’t include those that have been abandoned or left to rot away in the terrain.