Walmart plans EV Charging network which will blanket the US within a few years

Summary

In an exclusive interview with State Of Charge‘s Tom Moloughney, Walmart has officially announced that it is going all-in with ultra-fast DC fast-charging EV infrastructure — something that has been on the table since at least 2023. Considering that the company operates more than 5,200 Walmart and Sam’s Club stores in the US, the Walmart EV charging network might be the biggest charging news of 2025. The decision has been confirmed after years of partnership with third-party charging networks (like Electrify America and EVgo) and in-house testing of various charging layouts and charging equipment. The trigger was the growing adoption of electric cars and the focus on customers, who will be able to recharge while shopping. Thousands of Locations by 2030 Walmart is the largest retailer in the world and has more than 4,600 stores in the US, plus an additional 600 Sam’s Club locations. That’s a total of over 5,200 potential locations for additional EV charging infrastructure. The locations themselves are not only high-traffic ones but also already have large parking lots. That’s a big asset when you want to build charging infrastructure. According to Adam Happel, General Manager for Retail EV Charging at Walmart, the company plans to build thousands of EV charging stations by 2030 — so within just five years. This alone would put Walmart among the largest DC fast-charging networks in the US. The number of DC fast-charging stalls will vary depending on the location. However, if we assume a few stalls even as the bare minimum, we are talking about the total installation of a five-digit number of charging stalls by 2030. About 90% of the US population is within 10 miles of a Walmart or Sam’s Club: Walmart locations in the US. (Source: Walmart) 400-kW Chargers (NACS and CCS1) Walmart plans to build a proper charging network, own and operate chargers, and offer access through its own Walmart app. Tom Moloughney visited one of the first sites in McKinney, Texas, where Walmart...