Dive Brief:
- Fuel technology company Gilbarco Veeder-Root has launched electric vehicle charging infrastructure specifically designed for convenience retailers, according to a Tuesday announcement.
- Retailers who use the new turnkey program, Konect, receive site selection assistance and funding options, as well as charging hardware and software. Konect can also integrate with retailers’ on-site energy storage, loyalty platforms and point-of-sale systems.
- The program is already live in the U.S. and across Europe with more markets on the way, according to the announcement.
Dive Insight:
Gilbarco is diving into the EV charging space at a time when other electrification companies appear to be struggling. Companies like Tesla and Freewire Technologies have faced financial turmoil this year, which has recently led to Tesla terminating hundreds of employees and Freewire potentially ceasing operations.
In its announcement, Gilbarco — one of the best-known fuel technology companies in the convenience store industry — said its Konect program is for businesses wanting to install their own EV charging infrastructure while limiting costs and maximizing return on investment.
Konect offers “wrap and around support,” such as consultancy, installation, maintenance and customer service, according to the announcement.
“Widely accessible charging infrastructure is the key to further uptake, and we aspire to remove hurdles and build an incredible business case for fuel retailers to play a major part in the EV transition,” Om Shankar, vice president and general manager of Konect, said in the announcement.
Gilbarco and EV charging technology firm SK Signet are co-developing the charging equipment, which features Gilbarco’s payment, media and loyalty technology as well as SK Signet’s fast-charging infrastructure.
The charging port also features an LCD touchscreen system and Invenco by Gilbarco’s FlexPay 6 card reader. The system is built on a central cloud-based platform, meaning it can connect to multiple on-site services like loyalty platforms and POS systems.
"The gap in readily available and accessible EV charging infrastructure is a major barrier to the broad adoption of electric vehicles,” Jung-ho Shin, CEO of SK Signet, said in the announcement. “By integrating SK Signet's fast-chargers into the Konect platform, we will meet the needs of current and future EV drivers by providing more convenient, seamless and reliable charging solutions."
