A filling station is a facility that sells fuel and engine lubricants for motor vehicles. The most common fuels sold in the 2010s were gasoline (gasoline or gas in the United States and Canada, generally petrol elsewhere) and diesel fuel. A filling station that sells only electric energy is also known as a charging station, while a typical filling station can also be known as a fueling or gas station (United States and Canada), gasbar (Canada), gasoline stand or SS (Japan), petrol pump or petrol bunk (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh), garage, petrol station (Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, United Kingdom and Ireland), service station (Australia, France, Italy, Japan, New Zealand and United Kingdom and Ireland), servo (Australia), or fuel station (Northern Europe and Israel).
Fuel dispensers are used to pump gasoline, diesel, compressed natural gas, CGH2, HCNG, LPG, liquid hydrogen, kerosene, alcohol fuel (like methanol, ethanol, butanol, propanol), biofuels (like straight vegetable oil, biodiesel), or other types of fuel into the tanks within vehicles and calculate the financial cost of the fuel transferred to the vehicle. Fuel dispensers are also known as bowsers (in some parts of Australia), petrol pumps (in most Commonwealth countries) or gas pumps (in North America). Besides fuel dispensers, one other significant device which is also found in filling stations and can refuel certain (compressed-air) vehicles is an air compressor, although generally these are just used to inflate car tires (tyres). Also, many filling stations incorporate a convenience store, which like most other buildings generally have electricity sockets; hence, in some cases, plug-in electric vehicles can be recharged.
The convenience stores found in filling stations typically sell confections, cigarettes, lottery tickets, soft drinks, snacks and, in some cases, a small selection of grocery items, such as milk. Some also sell propane or butane and have added shops to their primary business. Conversely, some chain stores, such as supermarkets, discount stores, warehouse clubs, or traditional convenience stores, have provided filling stations on the premises.