Is America Ready for Walmart’s EV Charging Network?

• Walmart plans to build DC fast-charging at its Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam's Club locations.

• The retailer has already installed some 1300 DC fast-chargers at 280 locations as part of an earlier effort.

• Walmart's project, slated to be completed by 2030, should increase rural accessibility to DC fast-charging at a time when several states are planning to phase out sales of gas- and diesel-engine cars and light trucks by 2035 or earlier.

The parking lots of large retailers have been popular locations for EV charging points for over a decade. But until recently, few stores have actually invested in DC fast-charging.

Walmart plans to change that with the launch of a new, nationwide DC fast-charging network at thousands of Walmart and Sam's Club locations. The network is slated to be completed by 2030 with Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam's Clubs receiving fast-chargers as part of this project.

The effort, aimed at coast-to-coast coverage, should remedy one of the most persistent issues with charging locations today: the absence of food and other amenities nearby, as well as EV charging locations in rural areas. A Walmart Supercenter, on the other hand, would fit the bill for a rather complete convenience store, with 5000 locations around the US.

"With a store or club located within 10 miles of approximately 90% of Americans, we are uniquely positioned to deliver a convenient charging option that will help make EV ownership possible whether people live in rural, suburban or urban areas," the company said in a statement.

The planned network would add to the nearly 1300 DC fast-chargers Walmart operates at over 280 locations today, though if our own experience is any indication some earlier placements of EV chargers at the retailer may have been underutilized.

"I was in Temecula (California), where there was supposed to be a charger at the Walmart, but I couldn't find it," Autoweek West Coast Editor Mark Vaughn noted. "I asked a Walmart professional inside and she said they '...took 'em out—no one was usin' 'em!'"

The company did not disclose just how many charging stalls each location would receive, or whether these stations would get preferential locations in the parking lot. Also, Walmart did not mention whether it plans to partner with an existing EV charging network provider for this new infrastructure effort, or whether it would launch its own branded chain of chargers with a proprietary app.

The launch of a nationwide fast-charging network is not the only zero-emission initiative by the retail giant. Walmart has been increasingly using electric vehicles for its home delivery business, including those produced by General Motors' BrightDrop.

"Easy access to on-the-go charging is a game-changer for drivers who have been hesitant to purchase an EV for concerns they won’t be able to find a charger in a clean, bright, and safe location when needed," the retailer added.

The announcement of a new network at thousands of store locations comes amid efforts by a number of EV station operators to build larger fast-charging hubs with many amenities typically offered by convenience stores—a task that has seen scant progress in the early years of EV charger construction.

Plans for a nationwide charging network at Walmart and Sam's Club locations should also beef up geographic coverage in rural areas, ahead of plans by a number of states to phase out sales of internal-combustion cars and light trucks by 2035 or earlier.

Will a DC fast-charging network at Walmart locations motivate more people to consider EVs, or do other factors like EV prices currently have more effect on EV adoption rates? Let us know your thoughts below.