It’s no secret that Walmart has been quietly working on its own electric vehicle charging network. The company announced as much over a year ago. However, since then, it has been tight-lipped about how it would go about doing so—until now.
I secured an exclusive interview with Adam Happel, Walmart’s General Manager of Retail EV Charging, as the company agreed to talk in detail about the Walmart EV charging network plans for the first time.
After my 20-minute interview with Happel, it’s clear to me that Walmart plans to do what Walmart always does, and that’s offer its customers a better overall shopping experience than competitors, including cost, convenience, and value. After all, Walmart didn’t become the largest retailer in the world by accident.
Happel explained that the retailer intends to install Walmart EV charging stations at “thousands of its locations by 2030” and continue installing more in the next decade. He didn’t offer any specific number of stalls per location, only that “each site stall count will depend on market conditions”. Happel said they will take into consideration the number of EVs in each specific market as well as how many other networks operate nearby.
If there aren’t any other EV charging stations in the area, Walmart will install more charging stalls than if there are other fast charging options. He also explained that Walmart will monitor utilization, and the sites will be designed to easily add more chargers when needed to prevent customer queuing.
After testing charging equipment from various vendors, Walmart has selected Alpitronic and ABB as suppliers for its initial sites, although I was told it is brand-agnostic. Customers use the Walmart app to initiate and pay for charging, and the process will be the same regardless of the brand of charger at the site.
I also asked Happel what happens to the chargers that are on the other networks that currently operate on Walmart properties. Electrify America, for instance, has many of its sites on Walmart grounds. Haddad said that Walmart’s partners have been great to date, and as they continue to grow the Walmart network, they will reassess how they move forward with their partners.
Photo by: EV Charging Stations
I visited Walmart’s first official network site (there are currently two other sites—one in Texas and the other in Arkansas, but they are pilot test sites) in McKinney, Texas, to test out the network and charged a rented GMC Hummer EV on a 400 kW Alpitronic charger. That site has four chargers that serve eight charging bays. Each charger has one NACS and one CCS1 connector and can charge two EVs at once, dynamically splitting the 400 kW and offering each cable up to 600 amps. Unfortunately for Nissan LEAF owners, there will not be CHAdeMO connectors at any of the locations.
The Hummer took in over 300 kW for a while, and I charged from 1% to 53% in 27 minutes, and the charger dispensed 100 kWh of electricity. I was billed $42.00 as this site is currently set to charge $0.42 per kWh. Happel told me Walmart won’t have consistent pricing throughout the network. Instead, it will do as most other EV charging networks do, which is adjust pricing from site to site depending on local electricity rates. Happel also indicated that Walmart Plus customers may get a discount on charging just like they do on other goods and services offered by the company.
Walmart currently operates over 4,600 stores and over 600 Sam’s Clubs in the United States, giving it over 5,200 potential locations.
However, with Walmart’s aggressive expansion of its EV charging network, those concerns may start to dissipate. The convenience and accessibility of charging at Walmart locations may alleviate some of the anxiety around EV infrastructure and encourage more people to make the switch to electric vehicles.
Overall, Walmart’s approach to building out its EV charging network is innovative and promising. By leveraging its existing real estate and capital resources, Walmart is poised to make a significant impact on the EV industry in the US. The potential for a comprehensive nationwide network with fast charging capabilities at competitive prices could revolutionize the way EV drivers charge their vehicles and further accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles across the country.
As Walmart continues to expand its network and invest in EV infrastructure, it will be interesting to see how other retailers and charging networks respond. Will we see a shift in the industry as competitors race to keep up with Walmart’s ambitious plans? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain – Walmart’s entry into the EV charging market has the potential to reshape the landscape of EV infrastructure in the United States for years to come. The landscape of high-speed public EV charging in the US is evolving rapidly, with major players like Walmart, Ionna, Tesla, Electrify America, and EVgo all making significant strides in expanding their networks. Walmart, in particular, has recently announced plans to build a nationwide network of fast chargers at its stores, providing coast-to-coast coverage for electric vehicle owners.
With Walmart’s commitment to adding thousands of EV charging stations to its stores by 2030, the future of public EV charging in the US looks promising. This move by Walmart will not only make charging more convenient for customers but will also help to address concerns about range anxiety and accessibility for electric vehicle owners.
In addition to Walmart, other networks like Ionna, Tesla, Electrify America, and EVgo are also continuing to expand their networks, ensuring that high-speed public EV charging infrastructure will be readily available across the country. This widespread network of fast chargers will make it easier for EV owners to travel long distances, charge up quickly, and continue on their journey with minimal downtime.
The growth of these networks is a positive sign for the future of electric vehicles in the US. As more charging stations are built and existing networks are expanded, the adoption of EVs is likely to increase, leading to a cleaner and more sustainable transportation system.
Overall, the outlook for high-speed public EV charging in the US is bright. With major players like Walmart leading the way and other networks following suit, electric vehicle owners can rest assured that they will have access to reliable and convenient charging options wherever they go. The future of EV charging is looking brighter than ever, thanks to the commitment and investment from key players in the industry.