Why supersize convenience stores might be key to unlocking EV fast charging

If anyone can make EV charging work, it may be Buc-ee’s.

Maybe you’ve heard of the convenience store chain, but if you live outside the Southern U.S., chances are you haven’t experienced one. And they are an experience. Buc-ee’s stores are revered throughout Texas for the cleanliness of their restrooms, the breadth and scale of their food offerings, and the comically large number of pumps at most locations.

With the transition to electric vehicles underway, companies like Buc-ee’s have a lot to lose. While the bulk of the company’s earnings comes from the offerings inside the stores, the real draw is cheap and plentiful gasoline. When demand for that drops, Buc-ee’s and supersize convenience stores will find themselves competing against grocery stores, hypermarkets and stand-alone car washes. Buc-ee’s might be great, but each category already has a wealth of competitors. Part of Buc-ee’s novelty is the fact that you can get all that, at a gas station.

When there’s no gas, what then?