Walmart to add EV chargers to thousands of US stores

Walmart announced Thursday plans to add electric vehicle (EV) chargers to thousands of US stores in a sign of further mainstreaming of emission-free autos.

The US retail giant, which has EV chargers at a fraction of its US stores, plans to “build our own EV fast-charging network at thousands of Walmart and Sam’s Club locations coast-to-coast,” said a Walmart news release, noting that approximately 90 per cent of the US population lives within 10 miles of a Walmart.

The announcement is the latest sign of movement in the US transportation market in what is expected to be a years-long transition away from the internal combustion engine car.

Electric vehicles accounted for 5.8 per cent of the US market for new vehicles in 2021, up from 3.2 per cent in 2021, according to Cox Automotive.

A 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, backed by President Joe Biden, included $7.5 billion for a nationwide network of electric vehicle chargers.

Walmart currently has 1,300 EV chargers at more than 280 US facilities.