Walmart accelerates US EV charging rollout, overtaking Costco

Walmart is rapidly expanding its electric‑vehicle (EV) charging network across the United States. By June 2026 the retailer had installed roughly 46 public fast‑charging stations with 380 charging cords, now operating at about 326 of its nearly 4,600 stores and planning around 300 additional sites. This growth has allowed Walmart to surpass Costco and become one of the country’s fastest‑growing EV charging providers. Prices at Walmart chargers are reported to be below the national average and further discounted for loyalty‑program members, potentially making public charging more affordable for drivers, especially in rural areas where options have been limited.

The expansion has also drawn public attention to the unfamiliarity of EV infrastructure. A viral video showed a group of women at a Walmart parking lot mistaking an EV charger for a gas pump, highlighting the need for clearer signage and broader consumer awareness as the network grows. Industry observers, including Paren co‑founder Bill Ferro and Atlas Public Policy co‑founder Nick Nigro, note that Walmart’s extensive real‑estate footprint positions it to make EV charging more accessible to the roughly 7.6 million plug‑in vehicles on U.S. roads, with about 90 % of Americans living within ten miles of a store.