EV CHARGING

Walmart Announces Plans for Its Own EV Charging Network

April 10, 2023

Walmart is joining up with Electrify America to eventually build thousands of EV charging stations.
The Walmart charging stations will most likely use DC fast chargers.
Most Americans live close to a Walmart or Sam’s Club, meaning this will give charging access to more people.

Range anxiety is real for some people.. While it may hold some people back from getting an EV, more companies are investing in infrastructure that would further expand the available EV charging network. The most recent company to join the push for better charging access is retail giant Walmart.

Walmart’s Ambitious Plan to Expand EV Charging Infrastructure in the US

Earlier this week, Walmart announced its plans to install its own EV charging network by 2030. These new fast charging stations would be located at thousands of Walmart and Sam’s Club stores throughout the U.S. Meanwhile, this marks another big partnership for Electrify America, which also has a deal with TravelCenters of America. The EV charging company already has nearly 1,300 chargers as part of its open public EV network.

Vision for a Customer-Centric EV Charging Network

Vishal Kapadia, Walmart’s newly appointed senior vice president of Energy Transformation, said the new stations would address range and charging anxiety, reliability and cost. Kapadia added that the move would allow Walmart to offer an experience and price level “in a way that is not possible when a third party is involved in the equation.”

Kapadia expects the new EV charging network will use DC fast chargers, with an average of four chargers installed per store. However, Walmart has yet to comment on the details of the investment and said it is working on finding a supplier.

The Growing Momentum to Establish a Comprehensive EV Charging Infrastructure in the US

Overall, it seems that more and more movers and shakers are trying to make electrified transport a genuine reality. Early last year, the Biden administration announced a $5 billion plan to build out a national EV charging network. Then, Walmart announced (alongside NASA!) that it would buy thousands of Canoo EVs for its last-mile deliveries.

Adding Walmart to the mix of charging stations available throughout the country could do a lot to assuage range anxiety. Walmart has more than 5,000 stores or Sam’s Club warehouses, and about 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of one. As a result, more people would see that they have easy access to charging stations. Now, we just have to wait til 2030 to see this happen.