From The Arkansas eTraveler.
Does the 375 amp limit on Walmart EV Charging and ABB’s A400 NACS cable cost you time at the charger? I ran a 17% to 80% test in my Chevy Blazer EV at Walmart Store 100 in Bentonville to find out.
The ABB A400 sits at about half of Walmart’s EV charging stations. Its CCS handle uses two-phase cooling to hold 600 amps continuous, but the air-cooled NACS cable tops out at 375 amps with no boost. Alpitronic HYC400 units in the Walmart fleet run 380 amps continuous on NACS and can boost to 600 amps for about 10 minutes.
The result: 33 minutes, 56 kWh, 117 kW peak, at the $.26/kWh Walmart+ time-of-use rate. The Blazer EV lost no measurable time. GM’s Ultium packs share one cooling loop between the cabin and the battery, so a 500 amp spike hits a heat wall fast. At 375 amps the curve tapers gradually, and both paths reach 80% at about the same time.
That holds for my car. Teslas can pull well over 600 amps, and NACS cars that draw 500+ amps, like the Rivian R2 in Tom Moloughney’s State of Charge video that started this conversation, may lose more time. Once CCS handles go away, Walmart will likely need liquid-cooled NACS cables.
Northwest Arkansas Tesla owners: I want to rerun this test on your car, and I’ll pay for the charge. Email TheArkansaseTraveler@gmail.com.
📊 TRACK THE NETWORK YOURSELF
▶ The Channel Website: https://arkansasetraveler.com
▶ Data & Stats Tables: https://tinyurl.com/WalmartEnergyEVs
▶ Live + Coming Soon Map: https://tinyurl.com/WalmartEVChargingMaps
▶ Wattmart Web App: https://wattmart.community
▶ Report a Permit: https://forms.gle/bQGFgZvYWtSnKG7AA
CHAPTERS
0:00 Is 375 amps a problem at Walmart?
0:46 How Alpitronic’s cables compare
1:49 Plugging in the ABB NACS handle
2:24 Start charging with a QR code, no app needed
3:07 Starting at 17%: 371 amps, 111 kW
4:09 10 minutes in: 40% at 117 kW, $.26/kWh
4:47 What this test can’t tell you
5:28 Calling Northwest Arkansas Tesla owners
6:31 20 minutes in: 58% at 105 kW
7:04 Why Walmart might settle for 375 amps
7:41 Are Liquid-Cooled NACS Cables Necessary?
9:01 Crossing 80%
9:32 Results: 33 minutes, 56 kWh
10:05 Why the Blazer EV lost no time
10:49 Is lower amperage a deal breaker for you?
Tom Moloughney’s R2 video on State of Charge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56quOgT78LY&t=1231s
Website: https://ArkansaseTraveler.com
Contact: TheArkansaseTraveler@gmail.com
Disclaimer: This video covering Walmart Energy’s EV charging network efforts is based on research, primary sources, and public records available at the time of production. It is to be used for informative or entertainment purposes only. Information may change, and new developments could emerge that are not covered in this video or may contradict its content. Viewers are encouraged to conduct their own research for the most current and accurate information.
#WalmartEVCharging #NACS #BlazerEV