The energy sector is undergoing profound change: large fossil fuel companies are becoming players in electric mobility. According to a recent USCALE study, oil companies already have a market share of over 20 per cent in public charging stations in six key European countries.
This means that, for the first time, they are outperforming specialised charging point operators (CPOs).
Companies such as Shell, BP, Aral Pulse, and TotalEnergies are transforming their gas stations into multifunctional energy hubs to include fast-charging infrastructure, solar roofs, and battery storage. Their premium locations, strong brand awareness, and widespread use of fuel and charging cards enable these companies to get up and running more quickly and, above all, to make much better use of their infrastructure compared to many pure CPOs, even if the expansion has been made mandatory in some cases by legal requirements.
While specialised operators struggle with high investment costs and limited access to attractive locations, oil companies are benefiting from their existing real estate, logistics structures and service expertise. BP Pulse is working with APCOA Parking to build over 100 fast-charging hubs in Germany, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands. TotalEnergies was awarded the contract to expand the ‘Deutschlandnetz’ network in Germany with 1,100 fast charging points at 134 locations. The company also took over 200 fast and ultra-fast charging locations from another company in Spain and is a leading provider of charging points in France with 1,000 HPC charging points. These examples show that traditional gas station operators are becoming important players in the charging infrastructure across Europe. Gas stations are becoming energy hubs.
A key finding of the study is that trust is crucial for the acceptance of charging services. Customers prefer brands they know and trust to be technically reliable. Energy suppliers and oil companies benefit from their existing brand image and years of familiarity with traditional service standards.
At the same time, customer expectations are changing. Charging infrastructure should not only supply electricity but also communicate with the power grid and interact with users' daily routines. Digital payment systems, smart charging times and dynamic tariffs are becoming standard. This highlights the advantage of integrated providers who can supply energy, IT and customer service from a single source.
Gas stations are evolving into charging and entertainment hubs, energy suppliers are increasingly acting as digital points of contact for energy and mobility services, and cars are combining efficient mobility with entertainment as well as playing an active role in the power grid. Mobility transformation is therefore not only a technological transformation, but also a cultural one. This has been recognised and exploited by established operators.
At the same time, experiences from past transformation phases show that change can only succeed if it is strategically anchored and pursued over a long period of time. In the past, established fossil fuel companies sometimes abandoned new business areas as soon as returns fell short of expectations. For the current development to have a lasting effect, continuity, willingness to invest and a commitment to new business models beyond return cycles are essential.
The future of mobility will therefore not be determined solely by the charging infrastructure or technological progress, but by the reliability of the players shaping it. If policymakers and companies stay the course and consistently develop their strategies, this can result in a lasting contribution to the energy transition.