Big-box retailer Walmart has expanded beyond housewares and groceries to provide services, including those for cars. You can grab lunch, get your hair done, have an eye exam, fill a prescription, and get your vehicle’s tires replaced or serviced at almost any Walmart store. And now, you can also charge your EV.

Walmart’s automotive services and gas stations aren’t new. Travelers find refuge when they see the familiar starburst logo along the highway. But more recently, the retail giant’s partnership with Electrify America means you can juice up your EV in Walmart parking lots. So, is the service a good deal? How much does it cost to charge an electric car at Walmart?

As more Americans explore EV ownership, the need for improved charging station infrastructure has grown. Walmart saw this trend a few years ago and partnered with Electrify America to bring more charging capability to a burgeoning number of EV drivers. 

Walmart’s official statement in 2019 indicated it would erect one new EV charging station at the retailer’s locations every three days. And the rapid-growth partnership means you’ve probably visited a store with charging stations. If your local Walmart doesn’t have EV charging stations yet, they’re likely in the works. But how much does it cost to charge an electric car at Walmart?

You can charge your EV or PHEV whether or not you’re shopping at Walmart. Follow these four steps:

You can pay directly through the app or get discounts with a subscription to Electrify America’s Pass+ option. Pass members and guests pay 43 cents per kWh. But with a Pass+ membership, which costs $4 monthly, you pay 31 cents per kWh, according to Electrify America. If you drive frequently, the Pass+ membership more than pays for itself.

Additional charges might apply if you leave your vehicle plugged in after it’s fully charged. Idle fees of 40 cents per minute kick in after a 10-minute grace period. DC charging rates vary slightly, with Pass members and guests paying 16 cents per minute for 90 kW and 32 cents per minute for 350 kW. Pass+ members get 12 cents per minute for 90-kW charging and 24 cents per minute for 350-kW charging.

In Chantilly, VA, site 200222 at Walmart has been updated. This site features four chargers; three 350 kW Hyper-Fast chargers, one 50 kW CHAdeMO and one 150 kW Ultra-Fast charger. The CHAdeMo charger did not receive the next generation charger. 2/4 pic.twitter.com/n88LhFa9aI

According to Home Battery Bank, expect to achieve an 80% charge in roughly 15 to 30 minutes. And most of the EV charging stations in Walmart parking lots do so at 150-kW and 350-kW charging rates. DC fast chargers will provide Level 3 charging speeds, most of which add eight to 20 miles of charge for every minute of rapid charging.

Pricing in most states continues to be based on time. The following use time-based billing: Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.

But many are switching to charging by the kilowatt-hour. These states have changed to kWh-based billing methods for EV charging: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Utah, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia. 

Check the Electrify America map to find a Walmart EV charging station near you or on your trip route. And explore your potential 25% savings with Pass+ membership if you plan to charge often.

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