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Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?

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Re: Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?

#121

Post by tonyedgecombe »

protocolture wrote: post #73

In 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…

> Provide free water and air, basic car wash facilities.

In the UK you have to pay for water and air pretty much everywhere now.

Re: Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?

#122

Post by Symbiote »

chrismatheson wrote: post #105

I know my view will be affected by the UK being generally a small country... most people aren't driving 200+ miles a day, which means 90% of charging will be at home. Driving longer that 200 miles means you probably want a decent break. So I would imagine that most "local" places will disappear / pivot into shops with EV charging also. Motorway services will also change I think. Fast food isnt as much of an appeal wh…

Fosse Park shopping center is practically on the M1 (Leicester) but only has 16 chargers. (Plus some at adjacent businesses like McDonald's).

This seems like an easy way for them to draw in customers.

Meadowhall in Sheffield is similarly close to the motorway, and has 36 chargers.

Re: Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?

#123

Post by Symbiote »

roryirvine wrote: post #108
chrismatheson wrote: post #105

I know my view will be affected by the UK being generally a small country... most people aren't driving 200+ miles a day, which means 90% of charging will be at home. Driving longer that 200 miles means you probably want a decent break. So I would imagine that most "local" places will disappear / pivot into shops with EV charging also. Motorway services will also change I think. Fast food isnt as much of an appeal wh…

The process has already begun - UK petrol station numbers are down by a third since the beginning of the century. As you say, they'll all but cease to exist in urban areas, with the process mostly complete by the end of the 2030s. I'm not sure that dedicated EV charging stations will be all that common in cities, though. Why not use existing car parks for that? Some probably will end up being used as surface car park…

I think vintage car enthusiasts will end up served by oil drums and a drum pump. That's already how petrol is delivered and distributed to small island communities.

Many cities will ban vintage cars from entering.

Re: Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?

#124

Post by Symbiote »

codegeek wrote: post #16

Not much. 15 years ago was 2010. Gas stations in 2025 are very similar to Gas stations from 2010. I doubt they will be too different in 2040. May be a few more EV chargers.

2040 will be five years after the ban on petrol car sales in the EU, unless that is changed.

With cars lasting around 15 years, we can expect many gas stations to have closed by 2040.

Re: Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?

#125

Post by UtopiaPunk »

Somewhere in a photo album is a picture of my mother-in-law standing in front of a gas station 20-30 years ago. It was odd. Why stage this photo here? It didn't seem like a particularly pretty or special gas station.

I asked her about it, and she said she was thinking about how this common thing will probably disappear or look very different in the future, and it would be interesting to take a photo before it's gone.

Alas, the photo is still of a boring place that exists everywhere.

Re: Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?

#126

Post by dark__paladin »

Speaking as an American.

They will be virtually identical, except that there will be far more ads. Perhaps stations in super urban areas will integrate AI into the pump, using your name and level 3 data to market to you hyper-specifically.

Also Arizona teas will no longer say 99¢ on the can.

Re: Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?

#127

Post by deepsun »

magicalhippo wrote: post #86
deepsun wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And more hydrogen stations. Japan keeps investing in them a lot.

Hydrogen seems like going backwards into the future. For personal transport it surely is a dead end, there are no significant upsides to offset the large downsides compared to BEVs. Perhaps it can work well for certain commercial niches, time will tell.

One upside is Japan having a large undersea hydrogen deposits. And those deposits are not going anywhere.

But personally I agree it's perfect for, say, urban trains, with predictable maintenance. But if Japan keeps investing we may see more than that.

Re: Ask HN: In 15 years, what will a gas station visit look like?

#130

Post by idontwantthis »

dark__paladin wrote: post #126

Speaking as an American. They will be virtually identical, except that there will be far more ads. Perhaps stations in super urban areas will integrate AI into the pump, using your name and level 3 data to market to you hyper-specifically. Also Arizona teas will no longer say 99¢ on the can.

I’m pretty close to spraying something into the speakers to destroy them. I had to get gas at an ad blasting station yesterday and got just 3 gallons and left.
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