Build it, and they will come: EV chargers edition

On top of groceries, electronics, and clothes, Walmart also wants to be the place where you charge your EV.

Walmart announced in a press release it will dramatically expand its EV charging network; it plans to install chargers at “thousands of Walmart and Sam’s Club locations” throughout the country by 2030.

Walmart’s EV fast charging network will expand its already operating ~1,300 EV charging stations located at 280 facilities nationwide.

“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,” Vishal Kapadia, senior vice president of Energy Transformation at Walmart, said in the release.

The White House estimates that there are currently ~130,000 chargers across the country, serving 3+ million EVs. A Walmart-backed charging network would add to this significantly, and could also lessen fears of limited access to chargers, as Walmart claims it has a store located within 10 miles of 90% of Americans.

A 2022 report from the Fuels Institute’s Electric Vehicle Council outlined the states with the greatest need for EV charging investments through 2030, based on factors like consumer demographics; local housing, regulations, and incentives; and current and projected EV ownership.

California was named priority No. 1, as it’s home to ~41% of all EV and plug-in hybrid vehicles in the US, while Florida, New Jersey, New York, and Texas are second-priority states, due to their large populations and high projected rates of EV growth.