Walmart is taking a major step towards embracing electric vehicles (EVs) by announcing plans to develop its own network of fast-charging stations at thousands of its Walmart and Sam’s Club stores across the US by 2030. This move will help Walmart address the reliability, cost, and maintenance concerns that typically arise when partnering with network operators. By owning its chargers, Walmart will not only be able to address range and charging anxiety but also provide shoppers with an added convenience that will increase their confidence in adopting EVs.
According to Vishal Kapadia, Walmart’s recently appointed senior vice president of Energy Transformation, “We have the ability to address range and charging anxiety in a way that no one else can in this country.” The new charging points will be direct-current fast chargers with an average of four chargers per store. Walmart has yet to identify a supplier, and it declined to comment on the financial details.
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This announcement comes as EV adoption in the US continues to grow, with high gas prices, increasing state subsidies, and more affordable models driving the trend. Consultancy AutoForecast Solutions forecasts that by 2029, EVs could account for a third of the North American market. Walmart’s new network will be a welcome addition to the country’s existing 30,000 fast-chargers, which are crucial in topping up a vehicle in an hour or less.
In addition to addressing the reliability and cost of charging infrastructure, Walmart’s new stations could provide the retail giant with valuable data on how shoppers pay for them or the time spent at a particular store. With about 240 million customer visits to its stores each week, the potential for data collection is vast.
Walmart’s move towards an EV charging network comes as US President Joe Biden has committed to building a network of 500,000 public EV chargers by 2030. Walmart intends to start deploying chargers independently and may consider applying for federal funding later. With Walmart’s more than 5,000 stores and Sam’s Club warehouses located within 10 miles of about 90% of Americans, the retail giant’s network of fast-charging stations will be a significant step towards addressing the country’s charging infrastructure needs.
