Walmart Expands In-House EV Charging Network to 560 Stalls Nationwide
Walmart is continuing to expand its in-house electric vehicle charging network, with around 560 energized DC fast-charging ports now operating across nearly 70 locations in 15 states. This marks a significant increase from a year ago, when the network comprised four pilot sites.
The retailer activated 25 sites in May and six so far in June, according to an online tracker. Around 150 additional locations are under construction, and permits have been filed for nearly 200 more. Stations are expected to open soon in 29 states, Walmart’s director of energy policy Matthew Nelson wrote in a post. The company is targeting eight to 16 stalls, meaning four to eight chargers per location.
The buildout is part of Walmart’s longer-term strategy, announced in 2023, to deploy its own proprietary EV fast-charging network across thousands of Walmart and Sam’s Club locations by 2030. The company operates more than 5,200 Walmart and Sam’s Club stores in the U.S. and has said that about 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of one of its stores.
In April the retailer partnered with ABB E-mobility, initially launching the 400 kW chargers in Arizona, Colorado, Florida and Georgia. Last week, the two companies held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for an installation at a Walmart near the retailer’s Bentonville, Ark., headquarters.
Walmart’s network includes ABB and Alpitronic fast chargers, with both platforms offering Combined Charging System and North American Charging Standard connectors. To accommodate Teslas and most newer EVs, Walmart recently announced it would switch the NACS connector to the left side and the CCS1 to the right on its chargers.
Walmart’s charging rates average 47cts/kWh, with off-peak pricing available at some locations and a recently expanded 10% discount for Walmart+ members. The company is testing adding credit card terminals on chargers as an alternative to app-based payment.
In May, the retailer said it was piloting curbside grocery pickup for customers while their vehicles charge. Grocery stores are among the highest-utilization locations for public fast charging, according to a recent analysis from Electric Era, Paren and the Transportation Energy Institute. Consumer Reports research has found EV charging can increase retail foot traffic by about 4% and revenue by roughly 5%.
On Thursday, Walmart said its EV charging stations are now discoverable through apps such as Google Maps and PlugShare, allowing drivers to locate chargers and view charging speeds, connector availability and other site details.
–Reporting by Allegra Fradkin, afradkin@opisnet.com; Editing by Michael Kelly, mkelly@opisnet.com