– The number of electric vehicle chargers increased by nearly 20,000 while the number of gas stations decreased by about 100 last year. As the era of electric vehicles approaches, the construction of infrastructure to support them is also accelerating. According to the Korea National Oil Corporation on the 14th, there were a total of 11,367 service stations nationwide. According to Orfinet, there were a total of 11,369 service stations nationwide at the end of last year (as of December 31, 2020), down by 97 new one year. In the midst of this, two more places were reduced in just two weeks into the New Year. On the other hand, the number of electric vehicle chargers increased by 19,396 last year, reaching a total of 64188 at the end of last year. It is explained that the increase of 20,000 electric vehicle chargers can be seen as an increase of 2,000 gas stations, assuming that there are 10 gas stations per gas station.
Electric vehicle chargers are still in short supply, but the spread is fast. The number of chargers from 2014 in 2016 to 64,118 in 2020, an increase of 32 times in five years. On the 14th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that electric vehicle charging stations with a total floor area of less than 1000m2 were classified as type 1 neighborhood living facilities and prepared an amendment so that they could be installed in the vicinity of apartment complexes and announced legislation and administration. Accordingly, electric vehicle charging stations are expected to expand further in the future.
As such, gas stations are quickly transforming into the electric vehicle era. Recently, gas stations are actively expanding new business areas by expanding the installation of electric vehicle chargers to harmonize new and old energy.
In this year’s New Year’s speech, GS Caltex President Huh Se-hong said, “2021 will be an important watershed that will determine the future of the company. In the future, we will lead the industry by providing charging infrastructure such as electric vehicles and hydrogen vehicles.” GS Caltex aims to expand the number of fast electric vehicle chargers over 100kW to 160 by 2022. Currently, GS Caltex is operating 100kW electric vehicle chargers at 49 gas stations and charging stations nationwide. The futuristic gas station’Energy Plus Hub’, which was introduced in November of last year, is a major business model that will lead such a change. The’Energy Plus Hub Sambang’, which opened in Seocho-gu, Seoul, is equipped with a 350-kW ultra-fast charger, the first domestic refinery to install.
In May of last year, GS Caltex opened a hydrogen charging station (H Gangdong Hydrogen Charging Station) at a gas station and LPG charging station in Gangdong-gu, Seoul in May of last year, and built a fusion and complex energy station that can supply not only gasoline, diesel, LPG, electricity, but also hydrogen. It has been shown.
SK Group is expected to accelerate the construction of electric vehicle chargers this year. Previously, it was proposed to install 190 electric vehicle chargers by 2023, but the industry is expecting to increase further than this. An official from SK Energy said, “We are considering spreading it to meet the demand of electric vehicle users, and the roadmap related to electric vehicle charging will be changed in the future.”
My truck house is also predicting a’deep change’. My Truck House is a shelter operated by SK in 22 locations nationwide to improve the welfare of truck drivers, and it is possible to broker logistics, gas fuel, and manage vehicles. SK energy is operating solar power generation facilities (total power generation capacity of 1592 ㎾) at three business sites, Nae Truck House, Busan New Port, Okcheon, and Pyeongtaek, and plans to apply it to all business sites in the future. An official from SK Energy said, “My truck house plans to transform into an eco-friendly complex energy station that encompasses renewable energy such as solar power, electric vehicles, LPG charging, hydrogen production and charging.”
Hyundai Oilbank plans to expand the number of electric vehicle chargers for 20 individuals to 200 by 2023. S-OIL plans to install two electric vehicle chargers at the recently opened Paju Unjeong gas station in the first half of the year.
Meanwhile, the market is expected to expand further as more than 10 new electric vehicles are expected to be released this year.
[이윤재 기자]
[ⓒ 매일경제 & mk.co.kr, 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]
–
