The first ever gas station to be converted to electric charging for electric vehicles opens in Takoma Park, Maryland on Thursday, September 26, 2019. Electric Vehicle Institute

The first gas station in the U.S. that has been completely transitioned from a petroleum station to exclusively charging EVs opened Thursday in Takoma Park, Maryland. RS Automotives, the local gas station, has been around since 1958. Depeswar Doley, owner of the station since 1997, said he was already unhappy with the way oil and gasoline companies structure contracts — such as limiting the use of multiple suppliers, including clauses that extend contracts when a certain volume of sales is not met and limiting maintenance support. These business factors already were pushing him to consider other options. A nudge from his daughter was the final step in convincing Doley to make the switch to EV charging. "My daughter, who is 17, she is the one who convinced me after I told her that I was going to talk to the [Electric Vehicle Institute] guys," Doley said. A public works manager for the city of Takoma Park, Maryland, first suggested to Doley a conversation with Electric Vehicle Institute. When he told his daughter about the idea, "she said, 'Dad, that's a real good suggestion.'"

It's not something that I expect to become rich overnight or something like that, but it's a good cause [and] good for the environment. Depeswar Doley owner of the first gas station to exclusively offer EV charging

Doley said he's not too worried about how the switch will change his business income. "You notice there are not too many electric vehicles on the road," he said. "So it's not something that I expect to become rich overnight or something like that, but it's a good cause [and] good for the environment." There are more than 20,700 registered EVs in Maryland, and the area also has an electric taxi service in need of more chargers for their business. The gas station conversion was jointly funded by the Electric Vehicle Institute and the Maryland Energy Administration, which provided a grant of $786,000. Matthew Wade, EVI CEO, said the area has had issues with the supply of charging stations not meeting the demand of EVs. Takoma Park had just two chargers, one in a community center parking lot and the other at a street location. "They were fully utilized throughout the day; people were lining up," Wade said. "The city was happy they were being used, but then they said, 'Wait, no one can get in this parking lot, because these taxis are using these chargers.'"