(The Hill) – Walmart announced that it will add charging stations for electric vehicles to thousands of U.S. stores by 2030.
The company plans to add these EV charging stations at various Walmart and Sam's Club locations, said Vishal Kapadia, Walmart's senior vice president of energy transformation.
"With a store or club located within 10 miles of approximately 90% of Americans, we are uniquely positioned to deliver a convenient charging option that will help make EV ownership possible whether people live in rural, suburban or urban areas," Kapadia said in a statement.
Kapadia added that Walmart already has nearly 1,300 of these stations at more than 280 locations throughout the country.
Sales of electric vehicles surged in 2022, with purchases increasing by two-thirds amid an overall auto industry slump. Yet the infrastructure challenges of producing enough charging stations to support the increase in electric vehicles on the road has proved to be an issue. Tesla last month announced that it would make some of its EV chargers available for the usage of all electric vehicles.
"Our goal is to meet the needs of customers and members where they live and open the road to those driving across the country," Kapadia said. "Easy access to on-the-go charging is a game-changer for drivers who have been hesitant to purchase an EV for concerns they won’t be able to find a charger in a clean, bright and safe location when needed."
The news comes as the Biden administration continues to push the accessibility of electric vehicles as a prominent component of its green energy policy.
The administration last week proposed new rules about when EVs can be eligible for a consumer tax credit after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) threatened to sue the administration if the credit proposal "goes off the rails."
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