Walmart EV Charging Network to Blanket US. First Charge Experience & Review

[jefrank]

love it! I've used a couple of EA's in Walmarts and have always thought it was a great fit. Walmarts are everywhere and most importantly they cover virtually ever small town that's off the freeway. And they have food, snacks, and usually a fast food location (subway, mcdonals, etc) love it!

It's cool until the Walmart closes it's doors to relocate and you're stuck with an EA charger in the middle of half-populated strip center.

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[William Munny]

I’ve shopped at a wal mart once in the past 20 years. It was at the Albany location bc I was charging on a road trip. We went in and spent money on food, drink and snacks so this seems like a smart move by wal mart

 

[Buruan]

it makes sense for any establishment that wants a 20-40 minute shopper - I have a local to me Walmart with 6 Tesla chargers on the edge of the lot (convenience station) in Dryden. It can be a good place to charge, pick up a few things for a trip and get going.

Dont be tellin me you go to Walmart at this location when Tim Hortons is across the street.

Timbits!!!

 

[BarryGoyette]

I have to say, compared to the scuttlebut 18 months ago when I first went EV, this is welcome news. While our town apparently is too cool to have a Walmart, we’ve seen installation of 12 EA chargers at Costco, 12 Chargepoint Dcfc in local parks, and a 12 spot Tesla SC battery at Vons, all in the last 6 months. Not that these will help me at all, but hopefully this means similar growth in other places… like Walmarts that I will use. California recently reported that the state now has more public chargers than gas pumps, so we are well on our way to a “brighter EV future”. ;-)

 

[davehu]

It's cool until the Walmart closes it's doors to relocate and you're stuck with an EA charger in the middle of half-populated strip center.

can't think of any Walmarts that have relocated. and if they have a charging station the costs of relocating would go up significantly lessening the chances of it happening

 

[William Munny]

can't think of any Walmarts that have relocated. and if they have a charging station the costs of relocating would go up significantly lessening the chances of it happening

wal mart was notorious for getting tax breaks from local municipalities and then just up and moving when the breaks expired and would move to a new town a few miles away that would give it tax breaks.

 

[ka-chow]

I can't help but believe this to be HUGE for the EV world in the states! To me, this will push EV sales to another level when people know they can stop in places they never could have before and juice up! Super excited for this!

 

[On the Road with Ralph]

As someone who has two homes in rural locations where a Walmart is basically the closest major retail, I am reminded by this thread there are people who are reluctant to set foot in their stores. I got over that a long time ago.

One of my homes is in NW Arkansas and I have used the pilot site in Springdale on many occasions. Interestingly, the site was originally a pull up geometry, then they tore it out and did a pull through arrangement. Walmart’s willingness to make such major changes at an experimental site suggests they are very serious about getting it right.

While I do most of my charging (for local travel) at home, I do appreciate the convenience of combining a shopping trip with charging. This could be a major benefit for apartment dwellers.

I look forward to seeing how Walmart might leverage their membership program to provide low cost charging, similar to what they do with gasoline.

 

[Tony Burgh]

As someone who has two homes in rural locations where a Walmart is basically the closest major retail, I am reminded by this thread there are people who are reluctant to set foot in their stores. I got over that a long time ago.

One of my homes is in NW Arkansas and I have used the pilot site in Springdale on many occasions. Interestingly, the site was originally a pull up geometry, then they tore it out and did a pull through arrangement. Walmart’s willingness to make such major changes at an experimental site suggests they are very serious about getting it right.

While I do most of my charging (for local travel) at home, I do appreciate the convenience of combining a shopping trip with charging. This could be a major benefit for apartment dwellers.

I look forward to seeing how Walmart might leverage their membership program to provide low cost charging, similar to what they do with gasoline.

Sam’s Club discount would be nice.

 

[Mashedtators]

The more charging infrastructure the better.

 

[Rip]

New report from @tommolog

I wonder if the curtailing of federal incentives will have an impact on WalMart's plans.

 

[jefrank]

can't think of any Walmarts that have relocated. and if they have a charging station the costs of relocating would go up significantly lessening the chances of it happening

Ypsilanti, MI -> Now in Saline
Hartland, MI -> Now in Fenton
Just to identify 2

 

[electricpig]

As someone who has two homes in rural locations where a Walmart is basically the closest major retail, I am reminded by this thread there are people who are reluctant to set foot in their stores. I got over that a long time ago.

One of my homes is in NW Arkansas and I have used the pilot site in Springdale on many occasions. Interestingly, the site was originally a pull up geometry, then they tore it out and did a pull through arrangement. Walmart’s willingness to make such major changes at an experimental site suggests they are very serious about getting it right.

While I do most of my charging (for local travel) at home, I do appreciate the convenience of combining a shopping trip with charging. This could be a major benefit for apartment dwellers.

I look forward to seeing how Walmart might leverage their membership program to provide low cost charging, similar to what they do with gasoline.

That's the site I referenced. Even talked to one of the backend people for about 15 minutes one day while charging. He was talking to everyone using the chargers to get peoples thoughts, and what people wanted to see. Hopefully a Sam's membership will cross compatible with Wal Mart. Supposedly, WM has much in development beyond EV charging that is not public yet.

 

[NW Ontario Ford Lightning]

Dont be tellin me you go to Walmart at this location when Tim Hortons is across the street.

Timbits!!!

I go to Tim's first ! LOL

 

[hturnerfamily]

Walmart locations are certainly not 'permanent', at least forever, as our town's version was more in the 'center' of things, for it's 20 year lease, then moved to a new 'out of town' location that now draws all the flies and other stores and businesses...

Walmart's have certainly moved for many towns just because it is the nature of the business: Leases expire.
Business 'moves' in a different direction.
Buildings get old.
Remodeling is no longer a great option.
A 'regular' Walmart transformed to a 'Super' Walmart, etc.

I can almost assure you that the majority of Walmarts will never stay in the same location for 100 years, just because that's where they started. Things change. So do they.

Our very small town was honored to have one of the first, and the very FEW, Walmart Markets... a tiny 'dollar general' sized Walmart, even with a Pharmacy, and GAS PUMPS.

That didnt' work well for Walmart. The 13 around the southeast were shuttered back many years ago.
I can bet that almost EVERY ONE of those, without skipping a beat, are now the ONLY Dollar General stores that pump gas. : ) Love um! Failure for Walmart. A WIN for Dollar General.

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