- Walmart has started deploying ABB all-in-one DC fast chargers for electric cars.
- The American retail giant is accelerating its plan to blanket the country with 400 kW chargers.
- ABB’s dual charger has a huge, 32-inch display.
Walmart is now deploying ABB E-mobility’s A400 all-in-one 400-kilowatt DC fast charger at several stores in the Phoenix metropolitan area. This type of dispenser can deliver up to 400 kW to a single connected EV, and dynamically manage the power output to each EV if two cars are charging at the same time.
According to the charger’s manufacturer, the dispenser comes equipped with dual CCS and NACS connectors, enabling compatibility with the vast majority of EVs roaming the streets of the United States today.
Photo by: ABB E-mobility
Walmart will install ABB’s all-in-one chargers at nine locations in the coming months, with a total of 38 stalls scheduled to become operational. That said, the American retail giant’s plans go way further than this, with thousands of 400 kW EV chargers planned for installation by 2030. The first sites will go online in Mesa, Tempe, Apache Junction, and Queen Creek.
The company uses 400 kW chargers exclusively. The first dispensers came from Alpitronic, and they’re also all-in-one solutions with two charging cables. From a technical point of view, the two systems are similar, with a maximum current output of 600 amps and Silicon Carbide (SiC) semiconductors for an efficiency of roughly 97%.
That said, the biggest difference between ABB and Alpitronic’s stalls comes down to the screen: ABB went for a 32-inch LCD, while Alpitronic uses a 15.6-inch display. Both stalls have four physical buttons.
Both stalls can be fitted with card readers for contactless payments, but the dispensers installed in Walmart and Sam’s Club store parking lots don’t have card readers. Instead, EV drivers will need to use Walmart’s smartphone app to initiate charging sessions and pay.
“Launching in the Phoenix metro area is the first step in what will become the most ambitious retail charging rollout in the United States,” said Brandt Hastings, President North America, ABB E-mobility. “Together with Walmart, we are combining trusted retail access with telecom-grade charging reliability, delivering infrastructure that meets the needs of drivers today and scales with demand tomorrow.”
Walmart’s network of DC fast chargers has quickly grown from a few stalls last year to over 200 ports this month. The retail giant is planning to install thousands more 400 kW dispensers at its stores across the country.
