The current arc is one of more integration with prepared food related business and that will likely continue going forward.
Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?
111–120 of 173 posts
Re: Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?
#112will it sell gas? Yes and especially diesel which will not go away for a few generations. There are no EV replacements for heavy trucks and they do not appear to be viable yet. 3500 through 7500 series. Battery tech will have to make science fiction level improvements. When those trucks are gone society comes to a stand-still. Comparison to earth moving equipment in mines do not apply. what convenience items will it…
> There are no EV replacements for heavy trucks and they do not appear to be viable yet. Janus Electric has been converting prime movers to electric since 2019, listed on the ASX this year, and have demonstrated viability. * https://primemovermag.com.au/body-electric/ * https://www.januselectric.com.au/news/janus-unveils-first-el... * https://www.januselectric.com.au/ So far they've barely made a dent in global big t…
Why not? These fleets have been quasi electric since the 1970s
They move slowly on dedicated predictable paths all controlled by the same system that choreographs their movements, controls who goes in for system charges. Some of them are EV in the sense they use electricity but they have no batteries. More of them now have batteries but they can in no way be compared to the usage patterns of human use cases. This is why batteries have been viable for them since the 70's. Massive inefficient monsters on slow moving controlled paths. Some of them charge whilst moving using massive cables laid out in the roads in the mine. In a mine slow and steady wins the race. In the rest of the world it would be chaos or more specifically not viable.
Big-rigs also make sense as the fleet owned and controlled trucks can charge at dedicated yards and will all move in coordinated efforts.
There are still no viable 3500 through 7500 series trucks operated by small to medium business owners and those run the short haul of many industries in the USA. As such the diesel versions of them will be around for a very long time. I keep an eye on battery tech for my own selfish reasons and have yet to see anything that would power those trucks without pushing them over their weight limits to the point of making them legally unusable. As is business owners skirt the line when they are on the scales. Heavy batteries would require them to cut their loads and effectively also eat their profits and waste a lot of their time making multiple trips. If they become viable I will see it right away as I am surrounded by them and business owners will do what makes financial sense. I will be the first to change opinions on this when it is a profitable option.
The closest I have yet to see in Science Fiction levels of battery improvement is 3D printed solid state batteries and they have a long way to go just to make it into tools, cell phones, etc... That needed to happen a decade ago if we want to see them in big trucks within 15 years. I would love to be proven wrong ... for my own selfish reasons unrelated to electric vehicles.
Re: Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?
#113Earlier quoted context omitted.
The ones they build here in Norway has changed somewhat from 2010. For one, mainly EV chargers, with just a few, if any, pumps. Mostly sells food and soft drinks, so hot dogs, fresh sandwiches, baked goods, with much more seating area so you can sit and eat while your car charges. Has almost no car-related stuff, just one or two small sections of blinker fluid, wunder-baum and such. And looking at the current trend,…
Wait, blinker fluid is actually in stock in Norway? Gotta tell some BMW drivers I know; see if they can get it shipped over.
Just tell them to order it on Amazon ;)
https://www.amazon.com/Blinker-Fluid-16oz-Great-Prank/dp/B07...
Re: Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?
#114Earlier quoted context omitted.
You tax to finance government services. EV use roads but don't pay fuel taxes. We can debate how much EVs should be taxed, but they're using the bloody roads, aren't they?
in VA we pay EV Tax (along with 87 other car taxes to keep driving on shitty roads…) - whatever your problem is when it comes to roads, more taxes ain’t gonna solve them
If you're gathering the resources and you still have bad roads, then that's a problem of Virginians inability to govern well.
Which, as an American largely being governed by Virginians, I cant say Im surprised.
Re: Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?
#115> In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?
Car parks.
Re: Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?
#116Um.. I'd say there maybe a wake up call during these 15 years like a storm that the EV drivers cannot run from (because the range wouldn't let them).
I wonder what's it gonna be then??? Government busses?
Re: Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?
#117Earlier quoted context omitted.
IMO gas stations haven’t changed all that much over the last 50 years (forget the 15) beyond: - now having larger buildings to incorporate more convenience products (mostly foodstuffs) for sale - more pumps
It went from pay inside to pay-at-the-pump. That probably also led to the ability for more pumps at busy stations (w/o hiring more people).
They make no money with selling gas, and gas will run out. They make same way money as a cinema. In drinks and food.
And with the electric charging times people will certainly leave the car to shop for something.
So the exact opposite
Re: Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?
#118Earlier quoted context omitted.
It went from pay inside to pay-at-the-pump. That probably also led to the ability for more pumps at busy stations (w/o hiring more people).
They make no money with selling gas, and gas will run out. They make same way money as a cinema. In drinks and food. And with the electric charging times people will certainly leave the car to shop for something. So the exact opposite
I agree that they probably would benefit more from food sales off EV charging on a per vehicle basis, but they would need to turn over the chargers to new customers much quicker than what happens now for that to really benefit them.
Re: Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?
#119Earlier quoted context omitted.
You tax to finance government services. EV use roads but don't pay fuel taxes. We can debate how much EVs should be taxed, but they're using the bloody roads, aren't they?
My point is that there's no reason to tax them more than gas cars. Gas cars create FAR more negative externalities. I'm not saying they shouldn't be taxed at all; sorry if you got that impression.
EVs tend to weigh more and cause a higher degree of microplastic emission and road wear.
HN is usually happy to remind everyone that the damage a vehicle causes to a road scales with the fourth power of its weight. A Tesla model 3 is about triple the wear on the road surface compared to a Toyota Camry.
Re: Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?
#120In my experience Petrol stations are very smart operators that accumulate new business models very quickly. My locals all: Sell petrol Sell snacks, meals and necessities (small convenience stores) Sell firewood Sell ice Provide gas bottle swaps. Sell large items that are convenient for ute tray transport (Slabs of drink and other items) Provide free water and air, basic car wash facilities. 15 years from now I expect…
In the US at least, I feel like you hit that late 90s convenience experience. While it's true they still do these things, or try to, in my experience nobody actually uses them because of understaffing and underpaying of employees to the point of them not caring. Who wants a brown hot dog or dried out taquito that's been on a roller for who knows how many days? Who wants soda from moldy taps? Who wants to stand in lin…
> maybe each locale is different
It seems to be this. Many such stores near me offer a lot of prepared food (many thousands of calories at once on the heated display surface) and they’re not at loss-leader prices, so I have to assume it’s profitable.