Gas stations don’t need to evolve to become restaurants… restaurants needs to simply add chargers.
It isn’t even a huge leap for customers to expect it either. Some 15 years ago there was a big push for restaurants and stores and markets to install wifi for their customers. This is not all that different, quite honestly. If a restaurant has 15 parking spots in it’s lot, it shouldn’t be a huge ask to install a handful of chargers which can be shared by most of the parking spots. Most parking lots already have some kind of power out there for signage or lightpoles. You can tap off that, or go solar.
Most restaurants that germans go to don’t have a parking lot nearby. Most restaurants are in the city. Although maybe some enterprising country inn/restaurant owners already offer EV charging.
You’re thinking cities with single use neighbourhoods like in the US, where residency and commercial areas are usually separated. That’s not the case in Germany.
I think they are closer than you might think. You obviously can’t consider what it would cost to set up wifi using today’s technology. You’d have to consider early 2000s tech and what that cost. Also for EV chargers today, many areas have rebate programs to reduce costs. There’s also the incentive to charge for the electricity - turn it into a money maker for the business.
I think you have it backwards.
Gas stations don’t need to evolve to become restaurants… restaurants needs to simply add chargers.
It isn’t even a huge leap for customers to expect it either. Some 15 years ago there was a big push for restaurants and stores and markets to install wifi for their customers. This is not all that different, quite honestly. If a restaurant has 15 parking spots in it’s lot, it shouldn’t be a huge ask to install a handful of chargers which can be shared by most of the parking spots. Most parking lots already have some kind of power out there for signage or lightpoles. You can tap off that, or go solar.
Most restaurants that germans go to don’t have a parking lot nearby. Most restaurants are in the city. Although maybe some enterprising country inn/restaurant owners already offer EV charging.
You’re thinking cities with single use neighbourhoods like in the US, where residency and commercial areas are usually separated. That’s not the case in Germany.
The time and money cost of installing wifi is probably pretty different from the cost of installing EV fast chargers
I think they are closer than you might think. You obviously can’t consider what it would cost to set up wifi using today’s technology. You’d have to consider early 2000s tech and what that cost. Also for EV chargers today, many areas have rebate programs to reduce costs. There’s also the incentive to charge for the electricity - turn it into a money maker for the business.