Charging piles have become a key factor in promoting electric vehicles. Can CNPC and Sinopec help build charging facilities?

At present, the country is vigorously promoting pure electric vehicles, but the problem of insufficient battery life of pure electric vehicles has seriously limited the speed of promotion. Before there is a major breakthrough in battery energy density and charging technology, the construction of charging piles has become the key to the promotion of electric vehicles.

The two energy giants, CNPC and Sinopec, responded to national policies several years ago, actively participated in the industrial planning of new energy vehicles, and focused on the new energy vehicle charging pile business.

However, the pace of new energy deployment by PetroChina and Sinopec has been gradually slowing down recently. The two companies have made a more rational prediction about the new energy vehicle industry: internal combustion engines will still dominate in the short term. PetroChina and Sinopec have become more cautious about the field of car charging.

In fact, in the field of new energy charging, State Grid has more legitimate reasons.

Currently, PetroChina and Sinopec mainly adopt the model of building charging stations at existing gas stations or in cooperation with third-party companies. The two companies cannot avoid the State Grid in building charging facilities, and must obtain the support of the State Grid in power infrastructure and operation.

The State Grid is also making every effort to build its own new energy charging network. The relationship between PetroChina, Sinopec and the State Grid is somewhat delicate.

Foreign petrochemical giants are also gradually entering new energy-related industries. Shell North China Petroleum Group has opened its first integrated refueling and charging station in Tianjin, which is also Shell's first charging facility in China. The British BP Group has begun to try to build charging pile equipment in southern China.

The huge number of gas stations is a huge advantage for PetroChina and Sinopec in developing charging facilities. However, not every existing gas station can add charging piles.

The coexistence of oil and electricity will lead to many safety hazards. The high voltage electricity required by charging equipment can easily cause fires. Electric vehicles take a long time to charge, and long-term occupation of charging stations can easily cause road congestion. The laying of wires, the division of charging areas, and safety protection make it impossible for most existing gas stations to be transformed into integrated charging and refueling stations.

The car charging industry cannot rely on just one or two companies; it requires the cooperation of energy companies, scientific and technological units, municipal planning departments and other departments.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.