DETROIT – Walmart is planning to build a number of new stores and overhaul existing ones to bring them in line with its Store of the Future concept. One of the customer facing improvements will be the addition of fast electric vehicle charging stations in the new or remodeled Walmart stores, the company said in a press release.
Those fast chargers on Walmart parking lots will not only aim to facilitate the shopping sprees of EV owners, but will also be a part of a nationwide charging network that America’s largest retailer is aiming to build.
These new facilities will be designed with sustainability in mind, including more energy-efficient equipment and lighting, lower impact refrigerants and more. We’re also working on developing a coast-to-coast network of affordable electric vehicle fast-charging stations we hope will make EV ownership a more convenient and accessible choice for Walmart shoppers and associates.
The new nationwide EV charging network on Walmart parking lots will be on display in 650 stores the company plans to remodel in the next 12 months, as well as another 150 stores that will be converted or built from scratch.
With 90% of America living within 10 miles of a Walmart, its EV charging initiative could fit like a glove into the nationwide electric vehicle infrastructure push that should witness 500,000 charging stations built with public funds in the span of the next few years.
