EV Charging Service 'Konect' Debuts for Fuel Retailing Sector by GVR
In a groundbreaking move, Gilbarco Veeder-Root has unveiled Konect, an electric vehicle (EV) charging ecosystem designed specifically for the fuel retail industry. This comprehensive solution, fully integrated with Gilbarco Veeder-Root's existing full-site solutions, aims to facilitate a smooth transition into the era of electric mobility.
At the heart of Konect lies a robust and integrated forecourt IT infrastructure, linking EV chargers with existing forecourt systems. This connection provides fuel retailers with visibility and operational control comparable to or better than traditional fuel dispensers, ensuring seamless integration with their existing operations.
Advanced energy management is another key feature of the Konect ecosystem. The system balances electrical loads across multiple chargers and other site facilities, enabling sites to support up to six times more vehicles without the need for costly or time-consuming grid connection upgrades. This optimizes energy use and site capacity, making EV charging a more viable and cost-effective option for fuel retailers.
Reliability and uptime are critical for building customer trust and maximizing foot traffic, and Konect prioritizes fast reaction to outages, ensuring high uptime and consistent availability. This focus on reliability supports a seamless transition for consumers used to traditional fueling experiences.
For fuel retailers, Konect offers several benefits. The convenient locations and amenities like convenience stores and dining fit well with the longer dwell times required for EV charging, positioning them to capture a growing EV market segment. By adopting the Konect EV charging ecosystem, retailers can diversify revenue streams and address the inevitable shift from fossil fuels to electric mobility, securing their long-term profitability.
In collaboration with SK Signet, Konect has co-developed a unique dispenser design that combines DC fast-charging of SK Signet with payment solutions from Gilbarco Veeder-Root (GVR). This partnership addresses the needs of current and future electric vehicle drivers, according to Jung-ho Shin, Chief Executive Officer of SK Signet.
Jung-ho Shin also emphasized that the lack of readily available and accessible EV charging infrastructure is a major barrier to the broad adoption of electric vehicles. Konect aims to reduce upfront costs of the transition to electric and maximize return on investment, making it an attractive proposition for fuel retailers.
In addition to hardware and software for establishing EV charging infrastructure, Konect offers support in the site selection process, installation of point-of-sale equipment for EV charging, and future-proof facilities. Om Shankar, Vice President and General Manager of Konect, states that Konect aims to help supercharge the transition to electric mobility.
The main photo of this article is courtesy of Konect. As the fuel retail industry embraces the electric future, Konect provides a reliable, efficient, and scalable solution, helping retailers meet evolving market demands while enhancing operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Electric vehicles and technology converge in the Konect ecosystem, as it incorporates advanced energy management for optimized energy use and site capacity, making EV charging a cost-effective option for fuel retailers. In collaboration with SK Signet, Konect co-developed a unique dispenser design, integrating DC fast-charging from SK Signet with payment solutions from Gilbarco Veeder-Root, addressing the needs of current and future electric vehicle drivers.
