Tesla's biggest risk - Part 2

Part 1

The lack of a charging infrastructure poses a significant challenge to the widespread adoption of electric cars. Many potential EV owners are concerned about the availability and accessibility of charging stations, especially for long-distance travel or in areas where home charging is not feasible.

Public charging infrastructure is crucial for electric car users, allowing them to recharge their vehicles on the go. However, the number of public charging stations is currently limited, and they are often concentrated in urban areas or along major highways. This lack of infrastructure creates "range anxiety" among EV owners as they worry about running out of charge and not being able to find a nearby charging station.

To address this issue, various stakeholders are working to expand the charging infrastructure network. Governments are implementing initiatives and investing in the development of public charging stations to encourage the transition to electric vehicles. Electric companies are also playing a role by supporting the installation of charging infrastructure and offering incentives for electric vehicle owners.

One possible solution that has emerged to address the charging infrastructure challenge is the involvement of supermarkets such as Walmart and Seven Eleven have decided to venture into the electric car industry. But what are they doing to save the industry? And why have they decided to do it? Supermarkets are increasingly recognizing the value of providing charging stations in their parking lots. You see, unlike gas stations, these establishments are usually located in convenient locations and attract a high volume of customers, which makes them ideal places with fewer logistical problems to install charging infrastructure. By offering charging facilities, supermarkets not only provide a valuable service to EV owners, but also attract customers who can spend time shopping while recharging their vehicles.

Supermarket involvement in charging infrastructure can help expand the network of charging stations, particularly in residential areas where home charging options are limited. It can also contribute to the standardization and acceptance of electric vehicles among the general public.

In addition to supermarkets, other businesses such as shopping malls, hotels, and restaurants are also recognizing the benefits of providing charging stations as a way to attract customers and support sustainability initiatives. These efforts contribute to the overall growth of the charging infrastructure network and help alleviate concerns about range anxiety.

A notable case is the Seven Eleven store chain, which has launched its own fast charging network called Seven charge. This network located in various parts of the United States charges users for the energy consumed or charging time, even supermarkets could benefit from government subsidies designed to promote their installation.

President Biden, for example, has promised an investment of 7,500 million with the aim of promoting charging infrastructure and accelerating the transition towards sustainability, but Seven Eleven restaurants such as Subway are not only taking advantage of this opportunity, they plan to build charging oasis with green spaces and playgrounds even Taco Bell franchisees are installing charging points at more than 100 restaurants in California however mass charger adoption still faces challenges franchise chains have limited control over individual owner decisions making it difficult to become major players overnight but beware there is an exception Walmart a multinational of non-franchised supermarkets an advantage that gives them a much more unified expansion the company already has 1,300 charging points in 280 locations and plans to create a mega network with 20,000 more by 2030 With its omnipresence in the United States, it wants to offer chargers in more than 4,700 surfaces, including the other 5,000 of Sam's Club, a chain of retail stores owned by Walmart, this massive charge could increase its already 240 million visits received weekly in its stores and with This will accelerate the transition towards more sustainable mobility. In short, while Tesla has opened its exclusive network of chargers to all brands and Ford has deployed its public network called Blue Oval, supermarkets have taken advantage of the transition to electric mobility to attract consumers and generate additional income, And this is a very interesting strategy on their part.

Overall, the lack of charging infrastructure remains a major challenge for EV adoption. However, with the participation of various stakeholders, including supermarkets and other companies, there is hope for the expansion of charging infrastructure and the continued growth of the electric car industry.

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