Gas stations are gearing up to stay relevant as the nation shifts to electric vehicles. After initially resisting electric vehicle charging stations, some of the nation’s biggest sellers of fossil fuels are now using their lobbying strength and financial might to win federal dollars to support installations, writes David Ferris. Sheetz, Circle K, Wawa and other big names in the service station industry are all hoping to be the place where you charge your new electric vehicle. In fact, more than half of new charging stations funded by the 2021 infrastructure law are being built at truck stops and gas stations, according to an analysis by data company EVAdoption. Other winners from the law’s $7.5 billion pot for charging include banks, hotels, casinos, malls and restaurants like Arby’s and Waffle House. In many ways, gas stations turned EV charging hubs make perfect sense. “They’re safe. They’re well lit. They have bathrooms on site. They have restaurants and stores. They check a lot of the boxes,” Loren McDonald, the founder of EVAdoption, told David. Even environmental groups — many of whom have fiercely battled the fossil fuel companies that stand to benefit from the charging ports — seem to agree. “It’s not a bad thing we’re seeing the deployment of fast chargers at those locations,” Joe Halso with the Sierra Club told David. “They are recognizing, whether they admit it or not, that electricity is the fuel of the future.” But not everyone is happy about the transition from highway gas station to EV charging spot. Rural areas in need of economic stimulus stand to lose out, some environmentalists say. With chargers headed to 24/7 fueling centers near the highway, electric vehicle drivers are less likely to stop and spend money in rural downtowns. “I had some hopes about bringing some rural economic development and community benefits, but it’s not as obvious to me that those things are being pursued rigorously” by the administration, said Sam Houston with the Union of Concerned Scientists. Another pitfall is that the price of electricity can skyrocket when businesses use a lot of it at one time, which would happen if many EVs need to charge. But what companies lose in upfront costs, they could regain from drivers. Unlike gasoline customers, who leave after five minutes or less, EV drivers tend to stick around for 20 to 25 minutes, giving them plenty of time to purchase food and drinks. “You’ve got to think of it as a place you refuel body, mind and car,” McDonald said.
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