Walmart Prepares to Launch EV Charging Network

Walmart plans to build a nationwide electric vehicle charging network in thousands of its stores, including Sam's Club locations. The company says it plans to build the network by 2030. The network; It is stated that it will help make it "more accessible, reliable, convenient and affordable".

Aman Singh, Walmart's global communications director for sustainability, made important statements on the subject. "Currently, Walmart has approximately 1,300 third-party chargers in 280 stores in partnership with third-party suppliers". This newly announced expansion enables the company to establish a nationwide EV fast charging network on its own.

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EV Charging Network

Walmart believes it is "uniquely positioned" to create a convenient charging solution for EV owners. The company says its stores and wholesale warehouses are located "within 10 miles of nearly 90 percent of Americans." Walmart aims to offer "Every Day Low-Cost Charging" to shoppers at many of its stores, Supercenter, Neighborhood Market and Sam's Club. Charging locations for electric vehicle owners will be "clean, bright and safe" the company says.

In addition to expanding electric vehicle charging, Walmart plans to reduce its own logistics emissions to zero by 2040. Walmart has incorporated electric vehicles into Plus grocery deliveries. Walmart is working with companies like GM's BrightDrop and Canoo to build last-mile delivery fleets. News of Walmart's EV charging network comes as more and more businesses in the US are announcing charging solutions, including companies like 7-Eleven, BP and DC-America. According to reports, other companies such as Ikea and Starbucks are also considering becoming charging centers. But they rely on specialized companies, including Electrify America and ChargePoint (respectively), to handle the logistics.

Currently, the reality of charging infrastructure involves reliability and heavy fragmentation issues, with EV owners often having to sign up with multiple charging network companies. In order to combat these challenges, the Biden administration's Inflation Mitigation Act is said to provide incentives for groups building public charging stations to make them more accessible, plentiful, and reliable.