Photo: Walmart
Walmart has opened its 100th company-owned EV fast-charging site, bringing its fast-growing network to 100 stores across 20 states.
The milestone site is at the Walmart Supercenter at 16218 Jackson Creek Parkway in Monument, Colorado. It has eight charging plugs – four CCS1 and four NACS – capable of delivering up to 400 kW. However, most EVs can’t yet accept the full 400 kW.
“Reaching 100 sites is an important milestone, and our broad footprint positions us to make EV charging more accessible for communities while expanding the ways we serve our customers,” said Shayne Wahlmeier, senior vice president of Walmart Energy.
The kind of fast chargers Walmart is installing
Most Walmart charging sites have eight to 16 plugs, divided between CCS1 and NACS. The Monument station’s eight-plug setup is typical of the network’s smaller sites.
Walmart is using 400-kW chargers from Switzerland-based ABB E-mobility and the Italian charger maker Alpitronic. The hardware models are ABB’s A400 All-in-One and Alpitronic’s HYC400 Hypercharger. (ABB hardware is at the Monument, CO, site.)
ABB says its A400 can supply 200 kW to each of two EVs simultaneously, or send the full 400 kW to one vehicle.
Walmart’s Alpitronic units work similarly: One charger has a CCS1 cable and a NACS cable and can serve two stalls. At an early Walmart site in McKinney, Texas, EV expert Tom Moloughney charged a GMC Hummer EV, which pulled more than 300 kW and charged from 1% to 53% in 27 minutes, according to an InsideEVs test.
Walmart built the software itself
Walmart buys its charging hardware, but its software platform is built in-house by Walmart Global Tech. The company says its engineers developed the system that connects the chargers, processes live availability and performance data, manages payments, and sends station information to Apple Maps, Google Maps, PlugShare, ChargeHub, and Chargeway.
The customer-facing side is built into the regular Walmart app, so drivers don’t need to download a separate charging app. They can locate a charger, start a session, pay, and monitor charging from their phone. Walmart+ members receive a discount on charging.
Walmart says additional payment methods are coming as the network expands. That’s important because requiring an app is a hassle for drivers who simply want to pull up, use a credit card, and charge.
“When a customer pulls into a Walmart to charge, we want the experience to feel as reliable and effortless as the rest of their shopping trip,” said Adam Happel, general manager of Walmart Retail EV Charging. “We’re proud to reach 100 sites, but our focus remains on building a network customers can count on every time they charge with us.”
Walmart originally said it planned to install chargers at thousands of Walmart and Sam’s Club stores by 2030. With more than 5,200 US locations – and about 90% of Americans living within 10 miles of one – Walmart has the real estate to become one of the country’s largest fast-charging networks.
Read more: Portland airport can charge 20 rental EVs at once – from overhead
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