It’s a maxim in the retail fuel trade that the gas brings in the customers, and the sodas and chips bring in the profits. Many expect the same equation to prove true once electrons replace distilled dinosaurs.

JUXTA combines this concept with the trends toward self-checkout and rapid deployment. The JUXTA Nomad is a pre-assembled, autonomously operated, unstaffed mini-convenience store that can also incorporate public EV charging—a sort of automat for the electric age.

JUXTA says the Nomad can be fully installed and operational within 12 hours.

Shoppers can gain access to the Nomad with a debit or credit card or a smartphone. Once inside, they can select from a range of snacks, sandwiches, hot drinks, fresh fruit, or whatever the retailer chooses to stock. The layout of the Nomad is not limited to selling typical convenience store items—a retailer can stock any merchandise desired, for example camping supplies.

The retailer is responsible for maintenance, cleaning and restocking. JUXTA’s camera technology can quickly identify and report spillages or other hygiene issues. Depending on their geographical locations, a single employee should be able to maintain 8 to 12 JUXTA Nomads daily. Access to multiple suppliers can be granted to facilitate the delivery of items such as daily newspapers, milk and fresh fruit and vegetables.

JUXTA is a US-based start-up formed in 2022 by Vontier, an industrial technology company that also incorporates Gilbarco Veeder-Root, a supplier of fueling and convenience store equipment.

“While there are other players in the autonomous retail ecosphere, JUXTA’s is the only turnkey store on the market that does not require complex integrations,” said JUXTA co-founder and CEO Om Shankar. “Our Nomads are also exclusively targeted at the micro convenience retail landscape and have been specifically designed to provide multiple benefits for EV charging operators. All our customers need to do is take delivery, connect to electricity, stock the shelves, cut the ribbon and then walk away, leaving the Nomad to start retailing immediately.”

Of course, as regular Charged readers know, getting a public charging station connected to grid power can be a major bottleneck. The Nomad may be set up in 12 hours, but getting an adequate grid connection for a site with multiple DC fast chargers may very well take 2 years.

JUXTA has concluded a trial of its first autonomous Nomad in North Carolina, and says four more Nomads in the US will be operational later this year. The company plans to introduce its first Nomads in Europe in 2024.

Source: Juxta