There is a small gasoline engine that provides power and can recharge the batteries. If an area truly has all the power knocked out, the gas station pumps won’t work either.
“If an area truly has all the power knocked out, the gas station pumps won’t work either.”
Gas stations can run off generators using the very same gas in the tanks that they are pumping. Quite a few gas stations opened soon after Gustav and days before electric was turned back on. Many only accepted cash though since phone lines were down to take credit cards.