The Jolt They Need

TWO AMERICAN STAPLES BETTING ON EVS' FUTURE

- DAMIEN MARTIN

With the federal government overturning EV rules and the $7,500 EV tax credit expiring, enthusiasm in the U.S. might be on the wane. But there are at least two big players that see EVs as the future and large-scale investment in charging infrastructure as worthwhile. Walmart and Waffle House have proven pretty good at recognizing what customers want as they grew into national and regional powerhouses, and they see EV charging as a service that will attract them. In fact, the charging networks they install at their stores could play a role in boosting EV sales.

The Walmart Way

Walmart has begun its planned rollout of charging stations across the U.S. The retail giant announced in 2023 that it will have charging stations at thousands of its stores by 2030. The first official site is in McKinney, Texas, with two other pilot test sites in Texas and Arkansas. The amount of charging stalls at each site will depend on the availability of rapid charging nearby. In areas rich with charging stations, Walmart will install fewer, adding more at stores in areas with few nearby charging options.