Oh, no! EVs could cause beverage industry woes

What is it about a plug and a battery make people less thirsty?
I can see less drinks being bought locally, as people need to stop getting gasoline less and less often, but they still need to stop on long trips.

 

gas stations are going to have to rethink their whole business model, but probably not for another generation, so there's plenty of time to convert to charging stations and a cafe for waiting.

 

Well the auto-pilot drive home will help the late night bar business.

Bob Wilson

 

There are still drive through beer distributors here in Pennsylvania. They're open-minded when it comes to alternately powered vehicles.

 

I am not sure what they are smoking at Morgan Stanley, but EVs need to recharge more often than Gas cars need to refill. The Sayle Oil Station near me has 8 Tesla Superchargers, those folks are going to eat snacks and drink cokes like mad waiting for their cars to recharge. Good news, it has a Baskin Robbins.

I tend to eat convenience store food and drink convenience store beverages when away from home, the local Double Quick is not where I spend money, but at a Marathon station 50 miles away. (Clean restrooms)

It could just be me, does anyone eat and drink at local gas stations?

 

I lean heavily towards real grocery stores. Much better selection, much better prices, and most have customer restrooms too.

Certain big chains also have their own fuel pump islands, with lower fuel prices than the convenience stations too. But when traveling in new areas, this works best with a passenger with a smartphone. My spouse doesn't do smartphones, so this works well only when I'm riding shotgun.

 

WaWa has good subs, but I don't remember getting a sub or coffee and refueling at the same time. I'm sure others do though.

Selling gas is a somewhat recent business for WaWa. So if the convenience store is compelling enough for people to stop at without needing to fuel up, they should be fine with more plug ins on the road.

True for stations along long trip routes, but stations that serve mostly locals will see less traffic as people charge at home or work. Those could be in trouble with a mostly EV fleet, but they'll also see a loss of gasoline revenue in addition to beverages.

 

Ahhhh ... 7-11 half-smoked with crispy skin from hours on the rollers with yellow mustard and sauerkraut.

Bob Wilson

 

It's up to those food and beverage companies as well as the gas station companies to adjust to the marketplace or they won't survive. We may see a lot more places like this popping up along the highways. They happen to have gas as a supplement to the food and drink, not the other way around.

EddieWorld - Yermo l Food, Drinks, Gas & the Cleanest Restrooms

 

There's an even greater scope here for beverage makers. There is no reason *any public charger* couldn't have an integrated beverage vending machine. I mean, the power's there, and the vending machine can already process payments... so why not have a Coca Cola-branded vending machine/Level 2 charger - for 2 or 3 bucks, get a 24 ounce Coke or Dasani and a 2 hour charge, right? What's more American than that?

 

That is a lot of equipment (dispensing system and refrigeration) for something limited to a sales rate of just 1 potential impulse purchase per 2 hours. I'm not imagining enough sales volume to make it economically viable.

 

Agreed - I'm thinking something more like 7 or 8 chargers in the middle of a parking lot surrounding a central pay station/vending machine

 

If anyone can figger out how to make money the old fashion way, it Morgan Stanley

I just had a coke, now I need to brush an floss

 

The only time I need to go inside is to get a gas receipt when the pump is out of paper - which is way too often...

 

Since I started driving electric, I have spent much less than I used to at convenience stores.
In the last year and a half, when I moved to a location with no convenience stores directly on my route, I have spent nothing aside from 2 or 3 PowerBall tickets.
I do spend the money elsewhere, but IMO, this will be an issue.

 

People making their coffee at home hasn't seemed to hurt Starbucks.

 

It's actually happened here before. When I was growing up we often had a corner with four gas stations. Those who didn't adjust and start offering anything besides gas, tires and oil are all gone while the ones who diversified their businesses to include a convenience store, clean public restrooms, etc. both survived and thrived as the others went bye-bye. Those vacant corner locations have all been replaced by either a fast food place, a chain drug store or a small mini strip of multiple businesses.

If it happens again, so be it. The marketplace will adapt and fill those voids.