PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Company Limited (OR), Thailand’s leading oil and gas retailer as well as coffee chain franchising business operator, has set a roadmap to install 300 electric vehicle (EV) charging units in its retail fuel station network known as PTT Station nationwide by the end of next year.
This initiative, which is in line with the company’s vision of a sustainable future for mobility in Thailand, will help enhance its mobility ecosystem to meet diverse consumer needs while also future proofing its retail business.
Electric vehicles will shape the future of mobility and constitute a disruptive force to petrol retailers across the world, which is why creating a new energy ecosystem will be key in the country, according to the company.
At the same time, OR is cognizant of the acceleration of the mobility revolution and seeks to be at the forefront of the radical transformation of the energy retail sector. As the leading petrol station brand with an extensive network of more than 2,300 stations in Thailand and other Asian countries, OR has been accommodating consumers’ increasing demand for mobility both in the personal car and in mass transportation segments.
As a result, the company plans to complete the installation of the initial 300 EV charging units at its petrol station network by the end of 2022. Via OR’s smart mobile application, the owners of electricity vehicles can conveniently book and have their car charged at nearby PTT Stations throughout the country at no cost while on the go.
Thailand has a firm commitment to playing a leading role in the global electric transportation revolution and fulfilling its international obligations to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The country has just set an ambitious target of becoming a regional EV production hub by 2035 with more 18 million units of new electric vehicles to be produced for local use and export.
“While demand for electric vehicles in Thailand has just entered its early stage, we foresee an unprecedented opportunity arising on the emerging mobility market in the middle and long-term,” said OR’s CEO Jiraphon Kawswat.
OR’s customer data shows that motorists take just 3 to 4 minutes to refill their cars and pay bills, but they spend a total of 15 to 20 minutes at our petrol stations on average. Similarly, given the time spent at petrol stations for recharging EV, which takes around 20 to 30 minutes, customers can grab a cup of coffee, pick up dinner or stock up on essentials at convenience stores while they wait for their car to finish charging. This means an ample room for growth for new value-added offerings in the station forecourt.
“In order to address the changes in consumers’ needs in their everyday travels, we are expanding our mobility and lifestyle ecosystems by leveraging OR’s extensive retail fuel station network. Our PTT stations already have all the necessary infrastructure and facilities in place to accommodate new service offerings. We will only slightly need to reshape the existing service ecosystem to align it with upcoming EV charging demand, customer vehicle charging habits, as well as their preferences and daily lifestyle needs. Consumers with electric cars demand stop-and-shop locations to have at charging stations. At PTT Station, we have all the amenities at one-stop destinations as a genuine convenient centre for every step of customer journey.
OR pioneered an integrated oil and retail platform at its fuel station nationwide, which has proven highly successful over the decades. The PTT Station serves a role for travellers far beyond its original purpose of providing fuel to vehicles. Dubbed a “Living Community,” each PTT Station boasts modern amenities and state-of-the-art designs where visitors can find much more than just quality gasoline.
Today, PTT Stations are more like eating-cum-shopping destinations in their own right as more than 60% of the daily average of 2.5 million customers visiting them do so to use these stations’ various lifestyle services while only 40% have their cars refilled.
OR has also expanded its successful business model of integrated oil and non-oil ventures at PTT Station in Asian markets with some modifications to fit different lifestyles and consumer behaviours in each country. OR now owns and operates 346 fuel stations in the Philippines, Cambodia and Laos.
With significant and ongoing growth in the demand for the EV sector across the world, OR is currently exploring the feasibility of integrating EV charging facilities at its PTT Station overseas.
