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What Circle K Thinks...

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SOULPEDL

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Jul 25, 2016
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I'm at a corporate party in phx Az and just crashed the Circle K corporate party next to ours. I walked up to a table and asked "How long until you add charging stations?" The answers shocked me. "Ain't gonna happen... maybe in about 50 years".

I reminded them that they dont actually make money on gas, its just to get customers in for soda and smokes etc. I was even clear that I meant any charger, not just Tesla. They (4 people) laughed at me. There's no way people can afford them anyway one claimed.

I think someones in for a big surprise!
 
I'm at a corporate party in phx Az and just crashed the Circle K corporate party next to ours. I walked up to a table and asked "How long until you add charging stations?" The answers shocked me. "Ain't gonna happen... maybe in about 50 years".

I reminded them that they dont actually make money on gas, its just to get customers in for soda and smokes etc. I was even clear that I meant any charger, not just Tesla. They (4 people) laughed at me. There's no way people can afford them anyway one claimed.

I think someones in for a big surprise!
Elon Musk said on one of his conference calls that they think they might be able to build a Tesla and sell it for around $21,000 by 2021.
 
I'm at a corporate party in phx Az and just crashed the Circle K corporate party next to ours. I walked up to a table and asked "How long until you add charging stations?" The answers shocked me. "Ain't gonna happen... maybe in about 50 years".

I reminded them that they dont actually make money on gas, its just to get customers in for soda and smokes etc. I was even clear that I meant any charger, not just Tesla. They (4 people) laughed at me. There's no way people can afford them anyway one claimed.

I think someones in for a big surprise!

It's hard to convince someone of something when their paycheck depends on it not being true. Sadly I think there will be a lot of displaced workers in the Oil and Gas economy. In the case of gas stations, we just won't need as many since most people will be charging at home everyday except for road trips.
 
I'm at a corporate party in phx Az and just crashed the Circle K corporate party next to ours. I walked up to a table and asked "How long until you add charging stations?" The answers shocked me. "Ain't gonna happen... maybe in about 50 years".

I reminded them that they dont actually make money on gas, its just to get customers in for soda and smokes etc. I was even clear that I meant any charger, not just Tesla. They (4 people) laughed at me. There's no way people can afford them anyway one claimed.

I think someones in for a big surprise!

Given that Tesla already has an agreement to put one in Medway, ME at an Irving with a Circle K I'd say 2019 for the USA.
The other answer is "They already have them" since there are Circle Ks in Norway that Bjorn Nyland charges at.
 
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They do make money on gas sales. Not a lot per gallon, but it adds up. And they can deliver a lot of gallons of gas pretty quickly.

... gas stations do not make much money from selling gasoline. After credit card fees and other operating costs, net profit for gasoline sales averages 3 cents a gallon, according the National Association of Convenience Stores.Dec 12, 2014

Gas is only the luer in overall sales. I've seen 2 cents profit per gallon estimates and a typical profit of $100/day for fuel.

It's not about the gas, it's about getting people to stop and enter the store. This is not a debate. As more EVs hit the roads, pumps had better include electrons. Negotiations and deals are already either done or taking place in the EU. Tesla is pursuing these avenues as well.

IMO, I don't think it's a win for the energy market, it's a win for the stores, so plenty of leverage there. Circle K would be fortunate to have Tesla clientele show up, but they'd better change the menu as well. Candy and smokes are not our thing. A new convenience store will emerge; if Circle K doesn't adapt, they'll become another casualty of the new markets... in 5 yrs, not 50.
 
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Sheetz is already doing it right. The few I've stopped at are somewhere between a highway gas station and a truck stop. They all had lots of options for food (meals, drinks, snacks or junk food) and all had a little eating/lounge area with stools to eat at or comfy chairs to hang around in. And free wi-fi of course.

I think we'd be pretty much all set if there were superchargers at nearly every Sheetz.