Walmart Will Add Thousands Of EV Charging Stations By 2030

Walmart has announced plans to add thousands of new electric vehicle charging stations to its stores, including Sam's Club, across the country by 2030. Presently, it has around 1,300 stations at 280 locations. The decision to expand its fast-charging network makes sense because there's a store or club located within 10 miles of approximately 90% of Americans.

There are over 4,700 Walmart stores and 600 Sam's Clubs. EV ownership in America is continuing to grow at a fairly fast rate, especially with newly announced tax credit incentives from theInflation Reduction Act(IRA).

Legacy automakers have also joined the EV bandwagon, such as GM, Ford, Stellantis, and Hyundai. Tesla is no longer alone. Ford, for example, is working overtime to meetF-150 Lightningdemand, which isn't expected to slow down. Walmart has clearly taken note.

"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 Vishal Kapadia, Walmart's senior vice president of energy transformation. "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 company did not state how much it's investing in these future charging stations, only that it is currently in the process of finding suppliers. Its existing batch of EV chargers are supplied byEVgoandElectrify America. Walmart already announced its goal of achieving zero emissions by 2040. Some customers can already have their ordered products delivered to their homes via electric vehicles.