According to the International Energy Agency, nearly one in five cars sold globally in 2023 was electric, and sales were up 35% in 2023. Most of that growth was in China, but the point remains: Pay attention and be ready.

Karl Doenges, executive director of the Charging Analytics Program at the Transportation Energy Institute (TEI), said there have been multiple consumer surveys and international data released from EV charging companies that show electric vehicle owners want many of the same amenities and security features that drivers of gas-powered vehicles have come to expect from convenience stores.

“These amenities include access to snacks, drinks, quick-service restaurants, bathrooms, car washes, being open 24 hours and being well lit and safe,” he said. “Additionally [for EV owners] location matters—and c-stores have great locations.”

While there have been some hurdles that have prevented convenience stores from taking advantage of the EV boom, Doenges said many of those hurdles are being overcome by changes in technology.

“Advances in charging infrastructure backed [by] a battery system have alleviated the need to have a 480v utility connection, which in the past has made things more difficult for some convenience stores,” he said. “It’s difficult to get the utility companies in some cases to build out that capability. But with battery systems, all c-stores can access their 240v utility connection.”

But before you add EV charging stations, there are some factors to consider, the biggest of which is location. Even though EVs are growing across the U.S., they aren’t growing at the same pace everywhere.

“The markets in Los Angeles, Houston and Miami are very different than Sioux Falls, Idaho, and Bismarck, North Dakota,” Doenges said. “That being said, when you look at key indicators and cost curves, EVs will continue to grow at an increased pace. For all convenience stores, new sites and rebuilt sites should be future-proofed for EV charging. They should be designed with conduits built in and the layout thought through. Convenience stores are long-term assets and EVs are coming.”

The Transportation Energy Institute is a non-advocacy research organization dedicated to studying transportation energy, and retailers can take advantage of TEI’s Charging Analytics Program (CAP), which tracks metrics related to EV charging use.

“We have a myriad of data and analysis on how EV charging sites perform and how they are utilized, cross-referenced with numerous different site attributes, demographic data and other datapoints,” Doenges said.

To help retailers who are considering adding EV charging stations to their operations, TEI also offers electric vehicle supply equipment matchmaking, which includes a list of EV charging equipment, software, services, installation and other vendors with contact information. Owners also can access information about key government programs such as the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuel Data Center that includes EV information on grants, funding and regulations.

Doenges said there is also a host of research available including electric vehicle market insights, demand charge mitigation strategies for public EV chargers, consumer surveys, EV charging site host and driver surveys, best practices guides and more.

“TEI is not only an outstanding resource for EV charging-related analytical insights and research reports to help with decision making, but also an outstanding place to gather with other key industry stakeholders and share ideas on best practices and what’s happening in the industry,” Doenges said.

To learn more about EV charging, check out “Charging Your Profits with EVs,” featuring Doenges and other panelists on October 8 at 8:00-9:00 a.m., as well as “Watts Ahead for EV Charging,” on October 8 at 9:15-10:15 a.m.