Walmart said it will install fast-charging electric-vehicle stations at thousands of its namesake and Sam’s Club stores by the next decade, becoming the latest retailer to join the push to expand the U.S. EV infrastructure as adoption grows.
The discount retailer said it already has EV chargers at nearly 300 locations. It said it wants to expand the network across the country to make EV adoption more convenient and affordable for customers.
“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 Arkansas-based company’s Senior Vice President of Energy Transformation Vishal Kapadia said in a press release.
It said it will offer “Every Day Low Cost” charging in order to keep down transportation costs, which it said is the second-highest household expense in much of the U.S.
Walmart pointed out the range anxiety that has made many consumers hesitant to switch from internal-combustion-engine models to EVs – the worry that there’s inadequate charging infrastructure to meet their driving needs.
Other retailers are adding or expanding EV charging. Shell USA recently closed on the acquisition of charging network Volta toward of goal of a 500,000-point network in the next two years. The Biden administration is also working toward building the country’s charging infrastructure as it works to increase adoption.
