Walmart is looking to expand the availability of fast-charging stations at its locations through 2030. The retail giant says its broad geographical footprint will make EV charging accessible to more Americans while giving drivers more reasons to visit its stores.
According to the company, 90 percent of Americans are located within 10 miles of a Walmart or Sam’s Club. As a result, its plan is to build its own fast-charging network at thousands of locations across the country over the next several years.
Although the plan is no more clearly defined than that, Vishal Kapadia, Walmart’s senior vice president of energy transformation, writes that the company already has 1,300 fast-charging stations installed at 280 locations across the U.S.
Read: 7-Eleven Adding 500 DC Fast Chargers To Its Locations In The U.S. And Canada
“Our goal is to meet the needs of customers and members where they live and open the road to those driving across the country,” said Kapadia. “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 announcement follows the introduction of a total of $7.5 billion in federal tax incentives for corporations that install charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. While Walmart has not specified where its supply of chargers will come from, 55 percent of the components (by cost) must be sourced from the U.S. in order to qualify for the tax benefits.
Previously, Walmart announced that it aims to make all of the trucks in its supply chain zero-emissions vehicles by 2040. Last year, it started offering deliveries by electric vehicles, as part of its W+ program.
Walmart joins a growing list of companies with brick-and-mortar storefronts looking to install EV chargers at its location. Subway, Starbucks, and 7-Eleven have all announced investments in charging infrastructure in the near future.
