Walmart has announced plans to expand its network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the US by 2030. The retail giant currently operates 1,300 fast-charging stations at 280 locations across the US.
In a press release Walmart says the expansion will add to the company’s existing charging infrastructure, but the company did not specify how many charging stations it will build.
Vishal Kapadia, Walmart’s senior vice president of energy transformation, said that the company is “uniquely positioned” to offer charging stations across all areas, including rural, suburban and urban locations. The company’s goal is to “meet the needs of customers and members where they live and open the road to those driving across the country,” he added.
Walmart currently has about 4,700 stores and 600 Sam’s Club locations in the US, and it says 90% of the population lives within 10 miles of one of its stores.
The move aligns with President Joe Biden’s goal of establishing a nationwide charging network, as demand for EVs continues to climb. The administration aims to deploy 500,000 charging stations over the next five years, and plans to hand out $2.5 billion in grants to fund public charging sites.
