A recent projection from Bloomberg suggests a dramatic shift in infrastructure for electric cars.
According to the study, public charging stations for electric cars will overtake the number of traditional petrol stations as early as 2032.
Is it too good to be true?
The rapid growth in the number of charging stations can be attributed to the increasing demand for fast chargers. Deputy director at charging operator EVgo, Sara Rafalson, notes that the need for bigger and better charging parks is greater than ever before.
"We continue to set up bigger and better charging stations because we have to be able to keep up with demand," says Rafalson, as reported by Boosted.
Developments in the US and Europe
Although the projection specifically mentions the US, similar trends are observed in Europe.
In Sweden, some believe that the last new gas station has already been built.
In Denmark, however, the development looks a little different. Low-cost carriers plan to build more unmanned gas stations across the country, indicating a mixed approach to the future of transportation energy.
Hydrogen Cars and Stations in Retreat
While electric cars and charging stations are gaining ground, the situation for hydrogen cars and stations is different.
In Denmark, the last hydrogen stations have already closed, and sales of new hydrogen cars have dropped to zero.
In the US, there are still limited sales of hydrogen cars, but even here energy companies are beginning to close down hydrogen stations.
This has resulted in lawsuits by owners of hydrogen cars, such as the Toyota Mirai, against the manufacturer.
Bloomberg's projection points to a future where gas stations as we know them may become a rarity. The rapid development of electric car technology and the corresponding build-up of charging infrastructure means that it may soon be as easy to find a charging station as a petrol station.
