Meijer turns stores into beacons for electric vehicle drivers
A Midwestern discount retailer is providing a new service for owners of electric vehicles (EV).
Meijer is collaborating with open EV fast-charging network Electrify America to install EV charging stations at nine of its stores across Illinois and Michigan. The stations will offer a total of 36 ultra-fast public EV chargers in the greater Chicago area and throughout the state of Michigan.
The collaboration is part of Electrify America’s commitment to provide convenient and accessible charging experiences for EV drivers. With a station in Bloomingdale, Illinois, already open, Meijer plans to have all locations available for use by early 2021.
Walmart is also working with Electrify America, and has made more than 120 ultra-fast EV charging stations open to the public at stores across 34 states. Building upon an original commitment made in April 2018, the companies are planning to expand the relationship in the coming years with additional Electrify America charging stations located at Walmart stores across the country.
Using the Electrify America mobile app, EV drivers can find a charging station, identify the number of chargers currently available, begin a charging session, track its progress and pay, all from the mobile app.
“Offering access to electric vehicle charging stations is another way we’re making shopping more convenient for our customers in communities across the Midwest,” said Vik Srinivasan, senior VP of properties and real estate for Meijer. “The opportunity to fully charge your vehicle while shopping is something electric vehicle owners appreciate, so we are pleased to collaborate with Electrify America on our shared goal of achieving a more sustainable future.”
“Meijer supercenters are known for being convenient ‘one-stop’ shops for everything from groceries to apparel,” said Anthony Lambkin, senior director of operations at Electrify America. “By offering electric vehicle charging stations on-site, we are providing another amenity for customers who can charge their electric vehicles with our ultra-fast chargers while they shop.”
To date, Electrify America has 480 charging stations with over 2,100 fast chargers, and more than 100 sites in development. By the end of 2021, Electrify America plans to install or have under development approximately 800 total charging stations with about 3,500 fast chargers.
Based in Grand Rapids, Mich., Meijer operates more than 250 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.