Costco and Electrify America Partner to Bring EV Chargers to the Big Box

• 50-plus new chargers will be built by Electrify America at Costco locations.
• Each charger will be capable of 350-kW fast charging.
• Costco and Electrify America have not provided a timeline for the completion of the new chargers.

Electrify America (EA) is expanding by offering five new electric vehicle charging stations at Costco locations in Florida, California and Colorado. A total of more than 50 of Electrify America’s Hyper-Fast 350-kW chargers will be built, with the lion’s share of units spread across three California Costcos, two of which will feature 10 chargers each, with 14 at a final Loomis, California, Costco. The Clermont, Florida, location will be home to six chargers, the same as will be available in Denver.

The move makes sense. Costco is as much a destination as it is a shop — there's no doubt many of us have found ourselves wandering its aisles for far longer than intended. The chargers, regardless of location, will be owned by Costco, which means that pricing will also be set by Costco. If pricing is anything like the fuel stations Costco currently operates, consumers should be able to look forward to low-cost charging (and charging hopefully free of the long lines Costco gas stations are sometimes known for). Electrify America and Costco say that the stations will be integrated into EA’s charging network, allowing users to pay for charging via the EA app. A timeline for construction hasn’t been provided, however.

This move is a crucial step in making charging more viable for more of the public. Tesla has mastered putting chargers that are located near places where you'll spend time outside of your car. Electrify America (and other charging companies) are plotting the right course by working with a retailer as popular as Costco. Hopefully other big-box stores follow suit and public charging slowly fades from major hassle to a total no-brainer.