Customer Testimonial: Why fuel retailers are choosing to offer fast charging with EVBox

With electric vehicles entering the mainstream, demand for fast charging at on-the-go locations is increasing. Fuel retailers are well positioned to capitalize on this growing demand. However, many fuel retailers are sitting on the fence before investing, asking themselves; “is now the right time to invest?”.  

For fuel station owner, Pascal Chene, the answer is yes: “The time to invest and set yourself up as the long-term solution is now.” At Sarl Garage Chene, located just outside of Lyon, France, offering fast charging is not only an opportunity to future-proof the business, but to also tap into a lucrative new market. 

“Before I installed EV charging stations at the fuel station, I was a bit skeptical,” Pascal said. “I felt that the EV market was still quite niche, and that I wouldn’t see an increase in customers... However, I quickly realized after that I've not only future-proofed my business for the energy transition, but I’ve also attracted a whole new demographic of customers”. 

We sat down with Pascal to learn how four years of offering EV charging has benefitted his business. Based in Caluire-et-Cuire outside Lyon, the fuel retailer sees hundreds of EV drivers a month looking to charge quickly while driving through France. Working with EVBox for over 4 years, Pascal now offers fast charging at his location with a 150kW EVBox Troniq Modular charging station, coupled with EVBox’s software management platform, EVBox Everon.  

France has clear ambitions for electrification and EV charging infrastructure roll-out. As electric vehicles gain momentum in France and many fuels stations are incorporating EV charging infrastructure into their offering to meet the demands of all drivers. 

Installing EV charging was a clear step for us to take advantage of this market and prepare our business for the future. This has proven to be a strategic move for us; it’s not necessarily about staying relevant, but tapping into a lucrative market. 

In addition, besides our private customers, commercial fleets are a big market for our services. In the last years, we’ve seen more and more delivery companies electrify their fleets, which means that we must also adapt for these customers.

Fast charging is the ideal experience for our customers: They want to quickly stop to charge their electric vehicles, so that they can quickly continue on to their destination.  

Similar to filling a car up with gas, EVBox Troniq Modular can charge an electric vehicle within minutes. It is perfect for our customers looking to charge on-the-go — and allows our customers to come in and out of the fuel station so that it does not get congested with awaiting customers.  

While we understand the benefits of AC charging for other businesses whose customers park for a longer, fast charging was the best fit for our business.  

We’ve had EVBox charging solutions at our fuel retail site for the past four years, and we’ve been really happy with the quality of product. We’ve continuously worked with them and we’re excited to install EVBox’s newer generation of DC charging. We also still offer their older generation of DC charging at our fuel station which is still being used extensively by EV drivers but as with every business, upgrading and extending your offering is always necessary.  

Additionally, EVBox’s after-sales service has worked well with our business. As we’re a fast-paced company with customers coming in and out of our premises, we appreciate that maintenance and follow-ups are done with efficiency.  

As EV charging has proven to be a stable source of revenue, EVBox Everon has been our first choice for charging management software to track this direct revenue and set our charging tariffs. It’s been extremely useful to maximize uptime, so that we make sure our customers have the best possible EV charging experience. EVBox offering both hardware and software makes it a simple and easy solution for us as a customer. 

Before I installed EV charging stations at the fuel station, I still was a bit skeptical and felt that the electric vehicle market was still quite niche, and I wouldn’t see an increase in customers. However, I quickly realized after installing that I've not only made my business more future-proof for the energy transition, but I’ve also attracted a whole new demographic of customers. The time to invest is now and set yourself up as the long-term solution. 

As the number of electric vehicles expands, accessible EV charging infrastructure is in high demand. Fuel retailers are often perfectly positioned to harness their existing locations and capitalize on this market shift.  

While today, the EV-charging value pool is negligible, according to McKinsey it’s estimated to be a $20 billion by 2030. With their existing infrastructure and strategic locations, fuel retailers can tap into this lucrative opportunity and ensure their long-term success by staying ahead of the curve. 

The key factors for success will be location, as always, and customer experience. To establish a first-mover advantage, fuel retailers will need to invest early to learn about customer needs and experiment with new propositions and formats. In doing so, they can capitalize on synergies with their established operations and take advantage of the long transition period as the global vehicle pool gradually converts to electric. 

You can learn more about EVBox Troniq Modular and our Fuel Retailer Opportunities Guide here. 

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