Gas stations of the future: Flexible, modern and indispensable!

Gas stations of the future: Flexible, modern and indispensable!

The gas station landscape in Germany is increasingly being transformed. Kurt Dalacker, the 76-year-old operator of 21 gas stations, including in Herlikofen, is convinced that the gas station should not be viewed as a discontinued model. Rather, he sees it as a flexible hub for modern mobility and local supplies. In addition to the mineral oil trade, his family business, which was founded in 1903, also offers services such as hotel operations, pellet sales and its own shipping company. According to remszeitung.de, the company will respond to the changing needs of customers with innovative concepts.

Dalacker emphasizes the need to adapt to different propulsion technologies. Electric drives and hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) in particular could become more important in the coming years. HVO could replace up to 50% of diesel consumption, and a gas station in Heidenheim is already being converted for this technology. Currently, the price of HVO is only 5 to 10 cents higher than diesel-like values, which could provide an incentive for a switch.

Future of gas stations

Achim Bothe, CEO of Aral AG, agrees with Dalacker and sees gas stations as the “hub of mobility”. Its strategy includes investments in modern infrastructure and fast charging stations to meet customer needs. Aral is one of the largest providers of fast charging points in Germany and is constantly expanding its offering.

In this context, the shop area at gas stations is becoming increasingly important. Customer contacts are increasingly no longer just about purchasing fuel. Concepts like “REWE To Go” have become established at over 900 Aral locations. Average fuel prices are also of great importance, as current price information shows: in February/March 2025, the price of Super E10 was around 1.76 euros per liter, with over 50% of the price being taxes and fees.

Changes in infrastructure

The transformation of gas stations is not just a trend, but a necessity to serve the rapidly changing market. Alarmed after a decline in the number of gas stations in Germany from over 16,000 in 2000 to around 14,000 in 2024, Dalacker turns optimistically to future developments. The company plans to continue the classic gas station model with expanded services and at the same time wants to carry out spatial redesigns towards sustainable mobility centers.

• Zusatzangebote zur klassischen Tankstelle
• Umbau zu Ladeparks für alternative Energien
• Entwicklung zu sozialen Drehscheiben mit Paketstationen
• Integration von Carsharing und ÖPNV-Anbindung

In addition, in the context of hydrogen, it becomes clear that the infrastructure for effective electric and hydrogen mobility is demanding. Information portals such as tankstelle-der-zukunft.de offer valuable insights into the necessary development of the charging infrastructure and the challenges that need to be overcome.

A common goal of these infrastructure developments is to ensure long-term, sustainable mobility. Hydrogen infrastructure must be flexible and provide hydrogen in different aggregate states. Current studies show that it will be important to find suitable technologies for the future of filling stations and to develop them in dialogue with the supplier industry.

The concept of the gas station as a multifunctional mobility hub is thus becoming a reality, and actors like Dalacker and Bothe are making a decisive contribution to the redesign of mobility.