• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, April 6, 2023

Less than a week after fossil fuel giant Shell acquired ad-supported electric vehicle charging station network Volta, Walmart this morning unveiled plans to expand its fledgling charging station network to thousands of Walmart and Sam's Club locations nationwide. While Walmart, the nation's largest retailer, did not say whether its network would also be ad-supported, the move seems likely given that Walmart also is one of the biggest players in the burgeoning multibillion dollar retail media marketplace.

Asked by MediaPost, a Walmart spokesperson said the retail giant has no details on whether its EV charging station rollout will also be ad-supported, but the company also did not refute the idea.

An illustration published by Walmart representing what the new charging stations might look like, shows cars parked in front of charging kiosk screens, which would seem like an optimum location for digital out-of-home advertising for consumer brands given their proximity to an apparent point-of-purchase.

Walmart said it currently operates about 1,300 charging stations at 280 Walmart stores or Sam's Club locations and that it still is identifying which locations the new stations will be rolled out to.

"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," Walmart writes in a post explaining the nationwide network plan. "Our goal is to meet the needs of customers and members where they live and open the road to those driving across the country. 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."

Of course, much like Shell's acquisition last week of Volta, a pioneer in the ad-supported charging network category, Walmart may also simply be looking to extend into a new energy retail selling category.

As part of its announcement, Shell said it plans to increase the number of fast-charging DC outlets with "a paid charging model."

For its part, Walmart said, "We can offer customers and members the convenience of being able to pick up essentials for their families or grab a bite to eat while they charge. And in line with our purpose, we aim to offer Every Day Low Price charging – helping ease transportation costs, still the second highest household cost for much of our country."