Uncovering Major Oil’s portable hybrid energy station concept

PetrolPlaza discusses with CEO Major Itule the development of 'Joltz', an all-encompassing facility covering traditional fueling needs, new mobility and smart checkouts.

The integration of alternative fuels into traditional service stations has triggered retailers to diversify formats and adapt facilities to keep up with this development. Major Oil is looking to tackle this transition with a new concept by the name of 'Joltz', a portable hybrid station that combines different fueling options, sustainability and smart shopping in a compact area.

The newcomer to the c-store sector has developed this all-encompassing proposal as an answer to challenges such as real estate availability and alternative fuels adoption. “They are prefabricated, rather quickly, and their costs are considerably lower than building a convenience store or gas station from the ground up,” explains Major Itule, CEO of Major Oil.

Major Itule, CEO of Major Oil. | © Major Oil

Formerly VP of Sales at Gas POS, Itule came up with the Joltz concept after connecting with AMS Technologies, a company that had the North American rights to market UFuel’s above ground tank solutions across North America.

Each location will be equipped with two 12,000-gallon above ground tanks, which can be segmented for the sale of both biodiesel and regular fuels, minimizing environmental impact. Between both tanks rests a 90m2 c-store space, which offers customers a frictionless shopping experience. Both fueling and convenience services are offered in a compact format that can be easily relocated if needed.

“As we transition into a faster society, this technology is gonna be very attractive to a large proportion of the market. When customers know they can stop at your store and don’t have to deal with queues or wait for the cashier to come back from stocking shelves, they are gonna keep coming back,” adds Itule.

Additionally, the company seeks to leverage NEVI funding from the Biden administration to build electric vehicle infrastructure alongside other carbon reduction initiatives involving sustainable solutions. “We will be able to go out and open these hybrid energy stations that sell gasoline, biodiesel, and electricity using solar energy while reducing the carbon footprint of what a normal c-store would amount to today,” states Itule.

Major is poised to open 500 locations in the near future, with the first 5 to 10 Joltz locations to be established by the end of this year. In the future, the company plans to implement additional innovations that can further enhance the customer experience such as using real time data, diverse frictionless technologies, and product flexibility for community-based targeting.