Walmart’s 400 kW EV charging network just hit 100 stores

Walmart has reached 100 EV fast-charging stations across 20 states, part of a network the company plans to keep expanding at its stores. The newest site, in Monument, Colorado, has eight charging plugs (four using the CCS1 plug type, four using NACS, the connector Tesla popularized that many automakers are now adopting) capable of up to 400 kilowatts, though most EVs on the road today can't actually pull that much power yet. Walmart's typical charging stations have eight to 16 plugs.

The chargers come from ABB and Alpitronic, and each unit can either split power between two cars charging at once or send full power to a single vehicle. In an earlier real-world test at a Texas Walmart, a GMC Hummer EV pulled over 300 kW and charged from 1% to 53% in 27 minutes, giving a sense of how fast these stations can work for compatible vehicles.

For drivers, the notable part is how you use them: everything runs through the regular Walmart app, so there's no separate charging app to download. You can find a charger, start a session, pay, and track your charge from your phone, and Walmart+ members get a discount. Walmart says more payment options are coming. With over 5,200 US stores and roughly 90% of Americans living within 10 miles of one, this network could become one of the more convenient charging options for anyone doing errands while their car charges, especially as it grows toward Walmart's stated goal of reaching thousands of locations by 2030.