When consumers were asked what they envision fueling stations to look like in 20 years, a notable subset of survey respondents cited a futuristic, robot-attended Jetsons-esque experience.
In the classic Jetsons cartoon, a futuristic family pilots their ship to an entirely automated fueling station. Robots attend to them and everything is self-service.
The survey was conducted in July 2022 by Dover Fueling Solutions (DFS), which asked 1,000 consumers about their sentiment around the current and future state of gas stations and convenience stores. All respondents were based in the United States and represent a sample that reflects U.S. census data in terms of age and gender identity.
The survey results paint a picture of how consumers view the fueling and retail industry. The results also offer a glimpse of where consumers think the industry is headed and what future solutions might win their loyalty.
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What this anecdotal data speaks to more broadly, according to DFS, is that consumers expect fueling stations to undergo a radical change over the next two decades. Digging into the open-ended responses, a few themes emerge in terms of consumers’ perception of what fueling stations will look like during that time frame.
Consumers said that they expect fueling stations to be more electric vehicle (EV) focused. One common response was that they will be “mostly electric stations with few options for real gas.”
Another common theme was that stations will be more automated and have more self-checkout. Consumers said that the experience will be all contactless and “Nobody will work there; instead, it will be pay as you go. I think everything will be fingerprint scanner.”
Additionally, fueling stations will have more options for entertainment and other activities, consumers said. Several consumers mentioned that, as they plan to spend more time at fueling stations in the coming years due to EV charging, they expect, or at least hope, to see gas stations offering more options, such as restaurants and cafes, to fill the time.
There are similarities and differences in expectations between age groups, though.
Generation Z, millennials, Generation X and Baby Boomers all agree that stations will be focused on EV charging. A Generation Z consumer believes that gas prices will be more expensive than EV charging. One Millennial said, “Gas stations will be run and operated by robots,” while another said they will be “very high tech” and “android operated,” with “one to two cashiers on site to monitor equipment and property.”
While EVs represent a growing market, the shift to a completely EV-focused fueling station won’t be as complete as consumers imagine, according to DFS. Instead, the U.S. is likely to see a mix of charging stations and traditional fueling in the decades to come.
DFS reported that automation and self-checkout is heading in the direction consumers predict, with tech advancements overtaking traditional fueling.
DFS is a global provider of technologies, services and solutions in the fuel and convenience retail industries. DFS has a portfolio of products that includes fuel dispensers, EV chargers, tank gauging, fleet management and retail automation.
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