The Best Places to Buy Type 1 Charging Station Online and In-Store

Electric vehicles are piquing more and more people's interest, as sales increased 65% last year alone. But providing abundant places to charge up has long been a sticking point to greater EV adoption. 

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To address the need, President Joe Biden's trillion-dollar infrastructure bill allocated $7.5 billion toward installing 500,000 public EV chargers by .

On April 6, Walmart announced it was adding thousands more chargers to the nearly 1,300 already installed at more than 280 Walmart and Sam's Club locations nationwide.

Walmart is just one of a growing number of retailers making EV charging available. Some, like movie theaters, have Level 2 chargers that can add 25 miles of range in about an hour. Many more have direct-current, aka DC, fast chargers, which can provide a near-full charge in less than an hour.  

In some cases, charging is offered for free.

Pasquale Romano, is CEO of ChargePoint, the largest network of public charging stations in the US. The half hour it takes to get a decent charge is just long enough "to provide businesses with increased engagement," Romano said.

"We like to refer to this as the 30-minute retail economy," he told CNET. "Eventually, we'll see entire charging hubs comprised of dozens of charging stations and retail businesses."

Below, check out retailers that let you charge up while you shop. Be sure to download an app like PlugShare or ChargeMap to see which stores have charging stations near you and read reviews to see if they're in service. 

For more on EVs, find out which are the safest models and learn what's happening to the EV tax credit.

7-Eleven

The largest convenience store chain in the US, 7-Eleven added 7Charge stations to locations in California, Colorado, Florida and Texas earlier this year and has plans to add more across the US and Canada.

"Once the network's expansion is complete, 7&#;Eleven will have one of the largest and most compatible fast-charging networks of any retailer in North America ... and make EV charging available to neighborhoods that have, until now, lacked access," the company said in a statement.

The 7Charge system uses high-voltage DC plugs that allow most EVs to reach an 80% charge in roughly 30 minutes.

Drivers can find a nearby station and pay via the 7Charge app. According to 7-Eleven, pricing is based on either energy consumed or time spent charging, depending on the state laws. 

Cinemark

The movie theater chain has free Volta EV charging stations at more than 160 locations, with more planned for .

Individual theaters with charging stations have an icon on their page on the Cinemark website.

Ikea

In August , Ikea launched a partnership with Electrify America that has added 199 ultra-fast public chargers spread across its 50 US locations. 

A representative for the Swedish furniture company said it's in the process of installing more, with the goal of having 500 "in the near future."

Kohl's

Kohl's

Kohl's has more than 375 EV charging spots spread across 170 stores nationwide. To find one near you, go to the store locator page and filter by "EV charging station.

The company averages more than 105,000 charging sessions a year, a Kohl's spokesperson said.

Kohl's works with a variety of EV partners, so charging costs vary by location. Select locations even offer free charging.

Kroger

The largest supermarket chain in the US, Kroger announced in summer that it was adding over 350 charging stations at select stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.

The company also has plans to expand its network into Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia.

Macy's

Macy's

Macy's started providing free EV charging at select stores in . It expanded its partnership with Volta In and now offers 124 charging stations spread across 51 locations nationwide.  

Starbucks

Starbucks

In March , Starbucks announced a pilot program that would see DC fast chargers installed at shops along the 1,350-mile route from Denver to the company's headquarters in Seattle.

When it's complete, the network will include up to 60 chargers installed at 15 Starbucks in Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington, each spaced roughly 100 miles apart.  

For more information, please visit EraCharge.

Six stations are already operational, according to a Starbucks spokesperson -- in Seattle; Provo and Uintah, Utah; Twin Falls, Idaho; and Hermiston and La Grande, Oregon. Each store has two to four Volvo-branded charging stations.

The stations are co-branded with ChargePoint and Volvo, and while drivers of any EV with a standard CCS1 or CHAdeMO connector can charge up, Volvo owners can do so for free or at a reduced rate.

Charging times vary, but according to Starbucks, the ChargePoint DC fast chargers can take a Volvo C40 Recharge from 20% to 90% full in about 40 minutes. 

Starbucks said it will continue ramping up charging stations at its 15,600 US locations through , with the goal of reducing its carbon footprint by half.

Subway

Subway

In February, Subway announced a partnership with GenZ EV Solutions that will add small-format RED E charging stations at new and remodeled locations starting in .

The company also plans to build a series of EV "charging oases" that include bathrooms, playgrounds and green spaces, and make exclusive promotions available to customers utilizing them.

Taco Bell

DRG

In October , a super-fast electric vehicle charging station debuted at a Taco Bell in South San Francisco, the first of 100   ChargeNet has planned in California by the end of this year.

Customers can plug into one of six high-speed ChargeNet chargers and get over 100 miles of range in about 20 minutes for a cost of about $20. 

The program is being launched at franchises run by Diversified Restaurant Group, which operates nearly 300 Taco Bells in California, Nevada, Kansas, Missouri and Nevada.

Walgreens

Walgreens has EV charging stations at nearly 400 locations -- including stores in Boston, Chicago, Denver, Orlando, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Washington, DC, and Portland, Oregon. The drugstore chain plans to double that number over the next few years. 

The stations offer either high-speed direct current chargers that add 30 miles of range in as little as 10 minutes, or Level 2 chargers that can add up to 25 miles of range per hour of charge.

Walmart

Walmart already has 1,300 EV fast-charging stations spread across more than 280 stores. In April, it announced plans to develop a network of stations at thousands more Walmart and Sam's Club locations over the next seven years.

"Our goal is to meet the needs of customers and members where they live and open the road to those driving across the country," Walmart said in a statement. 

Whole Foods

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Whole Foods' first EV charging station was installed at its flagship Austin store in .

Three years later, the gourmet supermarket debuted a fast charger at a supermarket in Fremont, California, where Tesla has its main US plant.

By , at least 200 Whole Foods locations had Level 2 chargers and more than 50 had fast chargers.

For more on electric vehicles, learn about the different EV charging levels and find out how to finance your home EV charger

EV + offers EV charging solutions for electric vehicle owners and businesses. We provide EV charging stations, charging cables, extensive EV knowledge and service. On our e-shop, you will find all the charging equipment for mobile or at-home charging. We offer a wide selection of EV charging cables for the home, workplace or public charging. Moreover, our team can give advice on what products best fits your electric charging needs, as well as after-sale support.

Why buy your EV equipment from EV +

&#; We offer up to 24 months warranty on our EV charging products
&#; We use eco-friendly and recyclable packaging for all our products
&#; EV + team will offer you the best customer service in addition to help and advice on different EV cables
&#; Our EV charging cables are CE and TUV certified
&#; High-quality charging equipment ideal for domestic or public use
&#; We offer fast and secure worldwide delivery with UPS or DPD shipping service

We always aim to provide our valued customers with the very best service alongside competitive prices for all of our electric vehicle charging cables and other EV products.

Eco packaging

Plastic pollution across the world is getting worse every day. That&#;s why we use eco-friendly packaging that is easy to recycle and safe for the environment. We promote the use of renewable/reusable materials. Our environmentally friendly packaging includes recyclable paper wrapping tape and wrapping paper. We lessen the amount of product packaging as much as possible and we send installation or other information by instead of using unnecessary paper.

EV charging products online

All of our electric car charging cables come in various lengths and amperes to best suit your individual EV requirements. Whether you are looking for a home or public charging solution, there are different EV charging products to choose from. If you are unsure what cable is compatible with your electric car you can find EV specifications here.

For those looking for EV cables

Regardless if you are looking for a charging cable to use with your private charging station or with a public one, we offer a big range to choose from. At our e-shop, you will find all the products under specific categories. Adapters and EV charging accessories are also available in the corresponding categories. You can contact our expert team for advice in the event of not knowing what is the best product for your electric car.

Type 1 plug

The Type 1 plug SAE J is a single-phase plug that can charge your car up to 7.4kW. This standard is usually used with American and Asian model cars. The use of an adapter is needed to charge from a Type 2 European charging cable.

Type 2 plug

Type 2 plug IEC is the main plug used in Europe. Almost all European electric vehicles have this type of socket. It can charge up to 22kW and it comes in single or triple-phase.

Schuko plug

There are electric vehicles, like scooters for example, that use chargers with a schuko plug. For this type of charging an adapter that converts the schuko to Type 2 is needed.

Portable charging

When it comes to portable/domestic charging there are two options:
1. Type 1 or Type 2 portable charging cable with schuko plug for charging from main household sockets. This option provides charging up to 3.6kW in Europe. Some public charging stations may also provide a domestic socket option. A portable charging cable is always a good alternative and a great charging solution.
2. Type 1 or Type 2 portable charging cable with CEE plug. This charging cable comes in single-phase (blue color plug) up to 7.2kW and three-phase (red color plug) up to 22kW

AC Charging stations

When you own an electric car, starting the day with a full battery is key. An overnight charge is the best way to ensure the electric range will be sufficient for your daily commute. At EV + you will find charging stations for your workplace, home, and private or public parking space. The charging stations can have a ground or a wall installation and can charge with up to 2x22kW.

DC charging stations

The main difference between AC (Alternating Current) and DC (Direct Current) charging stations is the time that it takes to charge. In this type of charger, the converter is located in the charging station itself and delivers the current directly to the electric car&#;s battery. Most passenger electric vehicles will charge up to 80% between 15 and 45 minutes. Currently, there are three types of DC charging, CHAdeMO which is mainly used in North America, Combined Charging System (CCS) used in Europe, and the Tesla Supercharger.

For more Type 1 Charging Stationinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.