Gilbarco Veeder-Root (GVR), a Vontier company and worldwide leader in retail and commercial fueling and convenience technology, has launched Konect in Australia – to help service stations become ‘multi-fuel convenience hubs’ that meet the various needs of visitors and local communities.
Image Credit: Gilbarco Veeder-Root
As a supplier of end-to-end electric vehicle charging ecosystems, Konect will help Australian service stations retain their frequently visited status in an age where a combination of fuels will coexist. Located on neighborhood corners and city-to- suburb corridors, these businesses will become hubs of convenience, where waiting for an electric vehicle charge is not a daunting prospect.
For Australia to achieve its climate goals, EV market share must reach 30% by the end of the decade. The country’s transition to electrified mobility has shown encouraging signs in recent years – with EV share reaching nearly 10% in 2024. To support the projected growth, the Australian government has committed to building 50,000 public charging stations by 2030.
The promise of more EVs on Australian roads is a golden opportunity for fuel retailers to future-proof their business. The number of service stations in Australia has reduced from 25,000 in the 1970s, to approximately 7,000 today. And according to Boston Consulting Group, 80% of the current fuel retail network will be unprofitable by 2035.
Om Shankar, Vice President & General Manager, Konect, said: “Australia is a market brimming with innovation, passion for progress, and favorable conditions primed to drive positive growth in electric-vehicle take-up in the years to come. However, fuel retailers need the right tools to make that growth a reality – and critically, to make the enterprise a profitable and sustainable one for them.”
Konect’s EV charging ecosystem is designed specifically for the forecourt environment, and empowers fuel retailers to deploy their own robust, profitable infrastructure. This unique turnkey solution includes support with site selection and funding applications, installation and integration on-site sales and energy management systems, and comprehensive in-life technical support utilizing GVR’s experienced field team.
As a trusted leader in fuel dispensing, forecourt technology, and energy solutions, Gilbarco Veeder-Root has 96 years of operational excellence in Australia and a dominant 60% market share in the country’s fuel technology sector.
“The energy landscape is evolving, and fuel retailers require a trusted partner to navigate the transition to EV charging infrastructure,” Shankar added.