Well, Waddya' Know?
Hopes ran high at the commencement of demolition of the Mountain View Auto Electric (“The Answer to a Complex World”) facility. Nothing against the company— they were just relocated to allow for new construction.
The hopes, and speculation, ran high at the prospect of just what would replace it. Would it be a great restaurant, a climbing gym, a brewpub, or a specialty grocery? Surely Trader Joe’s would be a wonderful addition to the community.
Anything was possible. They demolished a failed office building next door and assembled a large lot on a major urban thoroughfare. What business would soon improve the lives of the neighboring citizens? It was on many minds.
Then a chain-link fence was erected around the perimeter. Locals expectantly waited to see the new business that would improve the neighborhood. Soon, the wait was over when banners were hung on the fence announcing the new business. We were going to get…
…A Kum & Go gas station and convenience store.
Across the street from the newly-erected Conoco/7-11 gas station and convenience store that replaced a locally-owned flower shop.
New gas stations have been popping up all around the greater Denver area.
Apparently, there are quite a few speculators who didn’t get the memo that internal-combustion vehicles were soon to be found only in transportation museums.
I did a little research (my specialty, little) and found that one estimate projects the cost to build a new gas/convenience store is around $2.4 million, including land, construction, tanks, equipment, and inventory.
According to this source, by year three your business can produce $75-100k profit a year. At 75k, it will take 32 years (2055) to pay off the investment. At $100k, 24 years (2047).
One can quibble with the numbers, but the underlying logic is that someone who is willing to go at risk, assemble the property, deal with regulatory agencies such as the EPA, and build a new gas station, plans for it to be operating for decades.
Saint Greta wants to get rid of internal combustion tomorrow morning. Well, all new cars by 2030 anyway. Seven years from now.
Are these people who built two new gas stations idiots? Or do they know something we don’t?
This development is a bad news/good news moment. The bad news is we could have had something that enhanced the neighborhood more than another gas station. The good news is that there are people who are smarter than me, and with more money, who have placed their bets on a future with good, old-fashioned fossil-fuel power.
Plug that into your EV, Greta.