Since the 1970’s many people in the fuel industry have been worried about the effect that an increasingly environmentally conscious population would have on their business. Environmental advocates want to decrease the output of carbon emissions and other pollutants in order to lessen the effects of global warming, and they say fossil fuel emissions coming from cars are one of the biggest problems.

Concern for the environment has heightened even more during the current administration, as can be seen in President Biden’s American Jobs Plan. He is offering tax incentives for people to buy electric vehicles and plans on helping grow the network of electric vehicle chargers.

So how should people in the fuel industry handle this situation? Randy Doyle, a fuel consultant, believes that “our industry is engaged in an epoch battle for its survival. Unless the course of climate-crisis activists is thwarted, our industry will likely not be viable in a mere 15 years” (“Fight for the Next Generation.” LPGas). Regardless of your opinions about the environment and climate change, it is inevitable that sales of electric vehicles will be increasing in the future. But it is also important to remember that gasoline-powered cars have been a central part of our economy for decades, and they will certainly be around for a while.

HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR INDUSTRY

You have a powerful voice in advocating for the future of our industry. Here are a few steps you can take to position yourself for success in the future:

  • Be smart with budgeting – funnel more resources toward the parts of your business that are the most profitable
  • Join your state petroleum marketing association
  • Market to your consumer base, explaining why they should continue to choose gas
  • Show your customers what you ARE doing to help the environment – using energy efficient lightbulbs and bags made of recycled materials, for example

TALKING POINTS FOR PROMOTING GASOLINE

While electric vehicle technology continues to evolve, it still has a long way to go to supplant gas-powered automobiles as a primary form of transportation. Here are some specific talking points to help you discuss the value of gasoline as fuel with your customers:

  • Gas-powered vehicles have a much longer range
  • Gas-powered vehicles are cheaper
  • Electric vehicles have less power
  • The batteries in electric vehicles will need to be replaced and end up in landfills. It’s important to consider the lifelong impact of any alternative energy source

Now is really the time to prepare yourself for what is ahead the coming months and years. Currently, electric vehicles only have a 2% market share in the United States, and although it is hard to tell exactly what that trend will look like in the future, most predictions involve significant growth (“Trend and developments in electric vehicle markets.” Iea.). Ultimately, individual business owners will have to decide what choices will be best for their businesses, since everyone operates in different circumstances, but it would be wise to watch the trends for sales of electric vehicles.