EV charging stations can also be fully integrated projects

In this article, I intend to discuss the differences between gas stations for fueling conventional cars and stations designed for charging electric vehicles.

Last week, I visited a notable electric car charging station operated by Noor Al-Shamal Company as part of an investment project for their electricity company.  

The station reflects the concept of a fully integrated project, capable of serving 40 electric cars simultaneously.

Unlike traditional gas stations, which have been modernized into comprehensive service centers, charging stations could potentially offer complete services to electric cars.  

Just as the Energy Authority decided to leave the door open for the establishment of fuel distribution companies and allowed existing ones the opportunity to expand by building new stations, it must also open the way for large-scale investments in companies that establish electric vehicle charging stations. 

To avoid repeating past mistakes, licensing should be limited to companies capable of sustaining service and transforming these new stations into multi-service centers.

While the use of electric vehicles continues to spread, the number of traditional fuel distribution stations across the country is increasing. More importantly, what is the benefit of licensing new fuel distribution companies when there is a new investment horizon in electric vehicle charging stations?

Currently, there are 63 licensed and operational electric vehicle charging stations in various regions of the Kingdom, including 49 public and 14 private stations. Additionally, 230 charging stations have obtained construction permits and are in the process of completing licensing procedures—190 of which are public and 40 private.

According to available information, the authority has recently set licensing fees for distribution companies at reduced rates, unlike other sectors, such as telecommunications, where the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority imposed stricter measures and perhaps exaggerated fee and revenue requirements, even as these companies saw a decline in their revenues.

The Jordanian market can accommodate new companies if fuel pricing is liberalized within a set ceiling, allowing companies to reduce prices under this framework.

Once again, there is a pressing need to advance alternative energy projects, promote the use of electric vehicles, and encourage electricity companies to establish new charging stations.

The competition is not in the spread of stations but in the added value, services, environmental compatibility, and public safety.