(Paris, France) - The French energy company Total Energies wants to concentrate on developing new offerings for electric and hydrogen vehicles. He is therefore selling his conventional gas station networks in Germany (1.198 stations) and the Netherlands (392 stations) to the Canadian Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., one of the world's largest operators of convenience shops. In Belgium and Luxembourg, Total Energies and Couche-Tard will establish a 40:60 joint venture that will own and operate the 619 gas stations there.
The brand will remain for at least five years
The plants in the four countries will be operated under the “Total Energies” brand for as long as the company supplies the fuel, particularly from its refineries in Antwerp (Belgium) and Leuna (Germany); According to the information, “for at least five years”.
The planned transaction worth 3,1 billion euros is expected to be completed by the end of 2023 and, in addition to the gas station networks, also includes the fuel card business with business customers. The electric vehicle charging station, hydrogen trading and truck filling station network segments will remain with Total Energies. Since 2015, the group has already sold its gas stations in Italy, Switzerland and Great Britain.
Revenues from fuel business decline
According to the information, the reason for the reorganization of the company structure is in particular the European Union's plans to end the sale of vehicles with internal combustion engines by 2035 in order to promote the development of carbon-free vehicles. These and other EU trends are “leading Total Energies to make decisions about the future of its retail networks in Europe, with its fuel revenues declining.” Gas stations are increasingly developing from pure fuel providers “into service centers with shops, car washes and grocery stores”.
The mineral oil company Total Energies wants to concentrate more on the market for hydrogen and electromobility in the future. © Total Energies
The group therefore wants to become a “multi-energy” company and reduce sales of petroleum products by 2030 percent by 30 “so that fuel sales and refinery throughput do not exceed oil production.” When partnering with Couche-Tard, you benefit from “its recognized experience in operating convenience stores in gas stations.”
Couche-Tard was founded in 1980. Its stores, some independently owned and some franchised, offer local groceries, everyday products and gas station service around the clock. Couche-Tard has more than 14.000 points of sale in North America, Asia and Northern Europe and employs over 120.000 people.
Growth in electromobility and hydrogen
In contrast, Total Energies is accelerating its growth in the area of electromobility and wants to install charging stations on main roads and in major European cities. In addition, the group is building a European network of hydrogen filling stations for heavy commercial vehicles along important European transport routes in a joint venture with the French manufacturer of industrial gases Air Liquide SA.
The aim is to build more than 100 hydrogen filling stations on important European roads in France, the Benelux countries and Germany in the coming years. These stations will operate under the Total Energies brand, the companies announced earlier this year.
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Total Energies is increasingly divesting itself of its gas stations and the distribution of mineral fuels. © Total Energies
