Nobody knows the Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) business better than CEO Elon Musk. So perhaps I’m a bit out of place even suggesting what the company should do with its charging stations.
Speaking at the Foodservice Technology Conference Trade Show, Tesla co-founder and CTO JB Straubel said the company’s Supercharger locations are evolving. The company had tried to build them in areas that had restaurants, cafés and other attractions already in place. After all, it can take over an hour to charge a Tesla — a long time to sit around and do nothing.
Supercharger locations are now starting to evolve into convenience stops of their own. “[Customers] want to eat, they want to have a cup of coffee, they want to use the bathroom,” Straubel said.
TSLA is building a new station between Los Angeles and San Francisco. It will feature 40 charging stalls, a lounge for owners and an area for food trucks to serve customers.
While it’s a humble first launch, Tesla can make far larger strides.
Taking the Next Step
Straubel clarified at the conference that Tesla itself would not embark on the restaurant business — phew! Instead, it would leave that up to other operators. In essence, or at least through my interpretation, Tesla will build these new convenience centers and run it more like a landlord. Instead of manning the different things going on — coffee stands, food trucks, restaurants, etc. — it will leave that to the pros.
What companies could get in on the action? Tesla’s aren’t cheap. The Model S and Model X have so far been geared toward a more affluent customer base. Not filthy rich necessarily, just well off.
Brands like Starbucks Corp (NASDAQ:SBUX) may see a benefit from teaming up with Tesla. I know on long road trips, I often look for pit stops where I can stretch my legs, fill up the tank, get some coffee and maybe grab a bite to eat. Starbucks satisfies all of those needs and with a location tied to a Tesla charging location, drivers can recharge at the same time.
With Starbucks in hotels, malls and airports around the country — heck, it’s even served on Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) flights — the company may be open to such a concept. It’s a technology-first fast-casual food and beverage company that fits in well with the technology-focused affluent Tesla customer.
Who else? What about Amazon.com, Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN). The company just purchased Whole Foods Market, Inc (NASDAQ:WFM) — another frequented retail location by typically affluent customers.
The argument against a Tesla/Amazon partnership? Why would Amazon pay rent when it can continue to work with the dying retail world? Perhaps mini WFM or AMZN locations for popular items could work in Tesla convenience locations, too.
Of course, the typical 7-11, Dunkin Brands Group Inc (NASDAQ:DNKN) and DineEquity Inc (NYSE:DINE) location would work as well. Any fast food vendor like McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD), Wendys Co (NYSE:WEN) or especially Shake Shack Inc (NYSE:SHAK) could even work.
The Bottom Line for Tesla
Tesla does way more than just sell cars — and that was even before it acquired SolarCity. Earlier this year, TSLA started charging new customers to use its charging stations.
For existing customers, it’s still free. New customers are awarded 400 kWh of charging per year, (roughly 1,000 miles). Once that limit is exceeded, they will have to starting paying to recharge. This hasn’t had a negative effect on the company or the stock, especially with Tesla saying it’s only looking to cover its operating costs off the network, not turn a profit.
However, the recharging network can aim to turn a profit if it looks into a leasing situation with its convenience-focused locations. It could be a win-win for Tesla and whoever decides to get in on the action. It also shows that Tesla is focused on an ecosystem, and — like Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL), Amazon and others — we’ve seen how powerful the consumer ecosystem can be. From a business perspective, Tesla found a way to stop losing money on supercharger stations. Now, it may find a way to actually make money.
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Tesla is also looking to get into the semi-truck business. From a stock perspective, a recent analysis of AMZN stock can be found here, and here’s why SBUX stock is on our future blue chip companies.
Bret Kenwell is the manager and author of Future Blue Chips and is on Twitter @BretKenwell. As of this writing, Bret Kenwell held a position in SBUX.
