It may seem to be a contrarian ploy for a gas station to provide an electric vehicle charging service, but local refiners have been quick in adding such services in an attempt to capitalize on the fast-growing battery-powered car segment.
Three of four major South Korean refiners are already starting or expanding EV charging services at their gas stations. Only S-Oil Corp., the country's third-largest refiner, has yet to join the move.
As of end-June, there were 72,814 EVs and 7,019 plug-in hybrid EVs in the country, nearly double the number from a year earlier, according to data from the transport ministry and the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association. The government expects the country to have 3 million EVs by 2030.
"This market has been led by the government, but it's meaningful that private companies are now trying to take a front seat," said Jeong Tae-young, former chief of the EV charging infrastructure committee under the Korea Smart Grid Association. "I think refiners are entering the EV charging business for their survival in the upcoming EV era, and that can bring a positive change to the industry." (Yonhap)