As Meijer works to increase EV-charging reach, retailers are starting to see benefits

Electric- vehicle charging company EVgo Inc. is expanding its reach through a partnership with the grocer Meijer.

EVgo plans to deploy up to 480 new public fast-charging stalls at Meijer locations in Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. The Grand Rapids, Mich.-based grocer operates over 500 locations in the Midwest.

To date, EVgo has opened 24 public fast-charging stalls at six Meijer locations in Michigan and Ohio. The plan is to open 30 new stations at Meijer stores by the end of 2026 and another 30 by the end of 2027.

The expanded partnership is part of EVgo’s broader effort to create a customer-centric, nationwide charging network. This network is expected to be partly funded by the just over $1 billion conditional loan granted to EVgo by the Department of Energy, assuming the financing is finalized. 

In September, EVgo announced it was partnering with General Motors to deploy 400 fast-charging stalls across the country and launch new flagship stations featuring up to 20 stalls under a canopy co-branded by EVgo and GM.

Grocery and convenience-store retailers are increasingly recognizing the benefits of offering electric vehicle charging stations.

Walmart has started installing stations under its own brand names, and has reported increased foot traffic and profits, according to the New York Times.

Casey’s and Fas Mart convenience stores also opened charging stations at select Illinois locations in August.

Two studies—one from researchers at Boston University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison and another published in Nature Communications—show the impact of EV chargers when offered by retailers.

The Boston-UW study examined the impact of almost 1,600 Tesla Supercharger stations and found a 4% increase in monthly visits to retailers within 200 meters of chargers after installation.

Nature Communications analyzed data from California and found that offering charging stations led to a modest rise in foot traffic and spending. However, the stations did attract higher-income visitors and residents from nearby areas.