Kroger Co., one of the largest grocery retailers in the U.S., is expanding its electric vehicle (EV) charging stations by collaborating with Blink, Electrify America, EVgo, Tesla and Volta charging network vendors.
The collaboration will bring hundreds of charging stations to stores across the U.S. More than 350 chargers have been implemented in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. Several more chargers are expected to be installed by the end of the year including at locations in Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee and Virginia.
Charging options range in versatility including many DC fast chargers. Charging times can vary from as few as 10 minutes with most sessions averaging around 30 minutes per vehicle.
San Francisco-based Volta said it is bringing DC fast and Level 2 Volta charging stations to Kroger customers nationwide. Volta has launched at 16 Kroger locations in the Atlanta and Indianapolis areas and plans to expand to Columbus, Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville, Michigan and Southern California through the year.
Volta provides public charging that complements consumers’ daily lives and routines, placing charging stations where consumers shop, work and play. Volta stations double as a media network allowing brands to intercept consumers’ shopping lists shortly before they enter a store to make a purchase.
The automotive industry is in the middle of its largest transition in history, phasing out internal combustion engine vehicles in favor of electrified models. But with so many new EVs coming online, more charging stations will be needed to meet demand.
IHS Markit forecasts that the number of public and semi-public charging stations will increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28% between 2020 and 2030. In the U.S., the CAGR will be 32%. Public stations are available for use by any vehicle if it meets the charging requirements. Semi-public charging stations have some restriction on use — meaning a driver must buy something (at a hotel or shopping mall for instance) to use it.
And there are more EV charging stations being added to retail areas every week including networks at Starbucks, Bridgestone Tires and even golf retailers.
