[danans]

It could even revitalize these places - make them destinations in their own right - if the charging is paired with good food and a nice setting.

For example, a lot of California highway waypoints function that way now, like the saloons and restaurants near the entry points to Yosemite.

It would be a temporary boost that would have to sustain itself on its non-charging-related merits when charging itself becomes ubiquitous though, as even the original restaurants/gas-stations in the article were based on the then new novelty of countryside driving.

> resurgence of shopping centers, maybe even malls, in those areas

I doubt it - you're mostly describing outlet shops which are also affected by the decline of brick and mortar retail. Thanks to the internet and e-commerce, people don't often go on long drives with the objective of shopping, but instead are seeking out distinct experiences (think cute tourist towns with "local" feeling shops) which may involve shopping, not the same mall experience they can already get nearby their homes.