Gas stations have one shot at survival over the next 30 years: Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCVs).
Part of the reason traditional manufacturers have been reluctant to pursue BEVs (battery-electric vehicles) is that many were betting on liquefied hydrogen as an energy delivery mechanism for FCVs. I presume this was from pressure from current energy companies.
Hydrogen benefits current energy interests because customers would fill up their cars in a way roughly analogous to today's gas stations. Even though the "fuel" product and drivetrain are different, gas stations can adapt for hydrogen.
That is just way too complicated to work out, though, and I think traditional automakers are at the point where they are giving up. The hydrogen infrastructure is hugely expensive and the resulting automotive products are not that much more convenient than BEVs.
Tesla's Gigafactory, enabling products like their PowerWall, is the most straightforward way for us as a society to use more renewables. The problem with wind and solar has always been spotty, inconsistent power generation, and with enough battery capacity, that is no longer an issue. That is a bad sign for gas stations, but an opportunity to pivot for traditional energy companies.
Gas stations have a lot more shots at survival than just FCVs. In 30 years gas stations will likely deliver a wide range of different vehicle energy sources: fossil gasoline, Fischer–Tropsch process gasoline, fossil diesel, biodiesel, CNG, and hydrogen. The only business they will lose are people who can charge or refuel electric or CNG powered vehicles at home. Those will still be a minority in 30 years due to slow turnover of the vehicle fleet and limited availability of home charging stations.
Part of the reason traditional manufacturers have been reluctant to pursue BEVs (battery-electric vehicles) is that many were betting on liquefied hydrogen as an energy delivery mechanism for FCVs. I presume this was from pressure from current energy companies.
Hydrogen benefits current energy interests because customers would fill up their cars in a way roughly analogous to today's gas stations. Even though the "fuel" product and drivetrain are different, gas stations can adapt for hydrogen.
That is just way too complicated to work out, though, and I think traditional automakers are at the point where they are giving up. The hydrogen infrastructure is hugely expensive and the resulting automotive products are not that much more convenient than BEVs.
Tesla's Gigafactory, enabling products like their PowerWall, is the most straightforward way for us as a society to use more renewables. The problem with wind and solar has always been spotty, inconsistent power generation, and with enough battery capacity, that is no longer an issue. That is a bad sign for gas stations, but an opportunity to pivot for traditional energy companies.