I could see a world where there Flying J/ Pilot creates their own charging network which rivals Teslas. It would be a big time investment, but Buffett has the cash.
Perhaps that's why they bought them. I was thinking the same. As we all know, reliable and fast charging solutions will be needed in order to move towards EV acceptance.
So you are on TMC at work but don't have access to your personal email? Understand your priorities
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Speaking of awards for excellence:Relax ......
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it is an award for excellence in closing factories
Interesting timing. TravelCenters of America just signed an agreement to pay EA, Electrify America, to install 350kW CCS chargers at most of their truck stops/travel centers. It is probably planned to feed at the NEVI funding trough. That really won't help with Semi charging, but it is a step in the correct direction. (Tough I really don't understand why they would pay EA to do that vs. just doing it themselves, even CircleK has their own staff managing their charging station build-out.)
And there is federal money for chargers... So there's that.
Also, charging stations with 24 hours maintained bathrooms, food, shopping, etc are appealing. It's low quality, but better than a lot of Supercharger locations with few/ no services after 8pm, little lighting, porto-potties, and no staff.
I think one of the potential advantages of Pilot doing their own network is they can avoid the maintenance disaster which the existing networks have.
Agree completely! And I seriously think that Berkshire will invest in improving the quality of the truck stops/convenience stores and upgrading them from the 1960's to the 21st century. You don't really contemplate of BH buying truckstops, but with non polluting E Trucks coming, they'll also be a lot less "greasy" and dirty, and with potentially building out charging stations to attract BEV's, they will be forced to improve their locations and make them attractive to upscale users.
Wonder how much book value there is beyond real estate (if they actually own the sites).
I'm pretty sure they own. I've seen where they invest in lobbying to alter existing infrastructure projects to their benefit. That's not something you do with a lease property. There is a lot of value in that real estate, Pilot/ FJ are particularly good at investing in premium locations.
Seems to me BH are shrewd enough to partner when they need to. I can see them adding a MegaCharger type install. The big problem is going to be grid connectivity. Lots of places which make sense for truck stops won't have the sort of grid capacity they need.
