The gas station of the future: vending machine pizza in the Mobility Hub

Body exercise while charging

Research into the future of gas stations shows where the journey could go. In the WKO study Gas Station 2030, delivery services use the locations as parcel centers from which drones could even take off to the destination address. In addition to a “Logistics-Hub“gas stations should also be used”Mobility Hub“, with rental cars and a direct connection to public transport. Robots take over the refueling process, while electric car drivers wait for their full charge to have workstations, training equipment, children’s play areas and even Sleeping options for “power naps” find.

Different speeds

Klaus Brunnbauer, chairman of the trade association for gas stations, does not believe that gas stations will change so radically. It remains to be seen whether electric cars will quickly dominate the roads. With biofuels, such as HVO or e-fuels, there may be environmentally friendly alternatives in the future. Also for heavy traffic hydrogen a topic. In other countries, gas that will increasingly be produced “green” will be available at more and more gas stations in the future. “In Austria we’re still sleeping a bit.”

“Not all countries “The energy transition will happen just as quickly,” says Rainer Klöpfer, Managing Director of Shell Austria. In London, Shell built a gas station in 2023 no more liquid fuels at all only offers fast charging stations – under a wooden roof with photovoltaic modules on it, next to a cafe and a mini supermarket. In Panlong, China, a station was built that offers electricity and hydrogen in addition to fossil fuels, and there is also a fast food restaurant and perhaps even in the future The “Battery Swap” Station where electric cars can exchange their entire battery for a full one.

Shopping instead of filling up

In the future, large stations like this will only be available in highly frequented locations, such as motorways. You can also come here E-Autos who travel longer distances, do business. Otherwise they will be fine mainly at home at work, in parking garages or in supermarket parking lots. Why should you go to the gas station?

Maybe, um to shop. Mini supermarkets are popular because of their Opening hours popular. Billa’s parent company Rewe believes that gas station shops in Austria fill the gap of convenience stores known from other countries. The supermarket chain Spar, which also supplies many petrol station shops, does not expect any major changes in the coming years.

Pizza and WiFi in the lounge

There are already smaller gas station locations today increasingly automated. They can only be operated profitably without staff. But these locations could also score points in the future with more additional offers. The company Bistrobox is currently demonstrating what this can look like at 40 locations in Austria. Small, smartly decorated shops offer snacks, drinks and even warm ones Pizza from the vending machine. Waiting times can be spent in comfortable, air-conditioned lounges with Wi-Fi. “This is also a solution for charging parks away from gas stations,” says Bistrobox CEO Klaus Haberl.

There will be fewer gas stations

In the long term, however, in some locations it might no longer even be worthwhile to operate fully automated filling stations. “It’s difficult to say whether there will be as many stations as there are today. In metropolitan areas, mobility hubs where you can do a lot of things at the same time make sense,” says Klöpfer. “It will be a certain one Structural cleanup give,” says Brunnbauer. “This is also urgently needed. We have twice as high a density of gas stations as Germany. This way stays more left for individual operators and they could work economically again.”