Here's why convenience stores are not rushing to install EV chargers

[ldjessee]

I have seen people leave their car at the pump for 30 minutes, so I am not not buying that all ice people move their car... seen it too many times.

I do also agree that Level 2, even at work, is more than fast enough. When I used to drive to work, they had 2 level 2 spots. 4 hours was supposed to be the max on it, but some people just parked their car, plugged in and assume it was good to leave there all day... even though they had been repeatedly warned (plugin hybrid users seemed the worse).

But at 7kW, even our Leaf would get more than enough charge once (or twice in the winter) a week. So much so, we actually very rarely charged at home. We had to pay for a charging parking permit that cost more than the normal permit, so we were paying for the power.

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[Crissa]

I fought you on this before, but I’ve come around. Though I don’t think chargers of any sort make sense at a C-Store. L2 makes even less sense. C-Stores are designed to get people in and out in less than 5 minutes. Charging, even on low power vehicles takes more time than that.

Lots and lots of other places where people want foot traffic where it makes more sense. Grocery stores, movie theaters, restaurants, museums, etc etc. I’d love to see them all over town.

It's a mix. The ten-minute quick charging makes sense, or when they've got more space to be a neighborhood hub.

Depends on the site, really. We do need these things in the neighborhood and the corner store is better than the library. Best where you have restaurants and stuff, though not every neighborhood has those.

-Crissa

 

[Ogre]

It's a mix. The ten-minute quick charging makes sense, or when they've got more space to be a neighborhood hub.

Depends on the site, really. We do need these things in the neighborhood and the corner store is better than the library. Best where you have restaurants and stuff, though not every neighborhood has those.

-Crissa

If I’m running a convenience store with 8 parking spaces, I’m not going to want someone tempted to park in one of those precious stalls for an hour watching Netflix and charging. There is a solid chance that space gets filled with non charging cars regardless.

 

[Crissa]

If I’m running a convenience store with 8 parking spaces, I’m not going to want someone tempted to park in one of those precious stalls for an hour watching Netflix and charging. There is a solid chance that space gets filled with non charging cars regardless.

Then you price your power & parking to encourage short visits.

-Crissa

 

[charliemagpie]

Then you price your power & parking to encourage short visits.

-Crissa

In theory it sounds easy enough. But the store doesn't earn a salary.

The turnover of stalls would slow. Customer count and average spend would drop.

The availability of a stall would be less frequent. Is that Convenient or would a customer learn to find a better alternative?

In this scenario, Is the business winning or losing customers?

It is not an innocuous scenario. The competitive world is in equilibrium.

 

[Crissa]

The store already reserves far more space and time to gasoline than they do people shopping and they get far less money rom the gasoline.

-Crissa

 

[charliemagpie]

Its Gasoline which lead to a lollie stand on steroids.

Now the other way around

 

[msdg137]

I live in the middle of nowhere but we have a sheets 37 minutes away in one direction with chargers, our Dunkin 37 min in the other direction have chargers. (The owners all have Teslas) Trader Joe's an hour away with chargers. The businesses have customers locked in for the duration of their charge. Land is cheap here(the land of decaying Toys R US, Sears, and post apocalyptic strip malls) another row for charging isn't much. Be prepared to have 70% of the gas station chargers occupied by diesel pickups. Several of the Dunkin chargers will be heavily damaged by people running into them. Exciting times!

 

[Cybertruck Hawaii]

People tend to spend a longer time at a shopping mall(hours)than just a few minutes at a convenience store. Unless your EV can make a significant difference in your charging level, it really makes no sense for a convenience store to have a charger. In fact, having a charger at a convenience store will entice customers to stay longer and hold up the parking stall which is already in limited supply.

 

[Crissa]

People tend to spend a longer time at a shopping mall(hours)than just a few minutes at a convenience store. Unless your EV can make a significant difference in your charging level, it really makes no sense for a convenience store to have a charger. In fact, having a charger at a convenience store will entice customers to stay longer and hold up the parking stall which is already in limited supply.

DC charging is usually under twenty minutes.

-Crissa

 

[Ogre]

DC charging is usually under twenty minutes.

-Crissa

Convenience store visits are usually less than 5 minutes.

 

[Crissa]

Convenience store visits are usually less than 5 minutes.

Are they? When involving gas, snacks, and toilets?

-Crissa

 

[charliemagpie]

Are they? When involving gas, snacks, and toilets?

-Crissa

Yes

On average

 

[Crissa]

Yes

On average

I find that dubious.

Getting a specific one thing, sure, five minutes. People who actually need a full tank, to select a specific snack, wait for someone in the restroom? No.

-Crissa

 

[Ogre]

Are they? When involving gas, snacks, and toilets?

-Crissa

I’m thinking of a convenience store, not a gas station. Since i got the tesla I never use the kind attached to a gas station. usually i just pop in to grab a thing and yeah it’s 5 minutes or less.

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