Commercial, Distributed Energy Resources, Energy Efficiency  -  June 6, 2019

Walmart adds 120+ charging stations nationwide

Walmart and Electrify America announced that more than 120 plus ultra-fast electric vehicle (EV) charging stations are now operational and open to the public at Walmart stores in 34 states across the U.S. Building upon the original commitment set forth in April 2018, the companies are planning to expand the relationship in the coming years with additional Electrify America charging stations located at Walmart stores across the country.

The continuing partnership between Walmart and Electrify America is expected to make the retailer one of the largest retail hosts of electric vehicle charging stations across the United States, according to a statement from the company, and reinforces Walmart’s broader mission to spark collective action – alongside key partners – to drive environmental sustainability and provide customers access to sustainable options.

“Along with providing our customers with an enhanced shopping experience through added convenience, this initiative also allows us to contribute to the expansion and accessibility of our nation’s EV charging station infrastructure,” said Mark Vanderhelm, vice president of energy for Walmart Inc. “Many of our Walmart associates and customers are EV drivers so providing access to these stations is the right thing to do for our customers, our business and the environment.”

Most of these new stations are strategically located at Walmart stores off major highways, with dozens more chargers planned for major metro areas. The statement noted that currently, a significant number of commercial EV charging stations in the U.S. are concentrated on the east and west coasts or in major urban areas. Through the Electrify America-Walmart collaboration, EV users will have increased access to services near highways, rural communities and driving routes in other sections of the country.

Electrify America chargers at Walmart stores feature 150 kilowatt (kW) and 350kW DC Fast Chargers. Chargers at this power can charge a vehicle at speeds of up to 20 miles of range per minute.