Citing Lack of Use, Costco Pulls EV Chargers

Retailer pulls the plug on its charging station network.

Warehouse retailer Costco is an early adopter of electric vehicle charging stations. They’re also one of the first companies that has decided that these units are not worth the cost of maintaining and upgrading for customers who aren’t even using such devices. As a result, the company has removed approximately 60 EV charging stations at stores around California.

Early Advocacy

The Costco move has electric vehicle advocates up in arms as one of the earliest sources of public charging stations for EVs disappears. Those units, however, are old and are not compatible with today’s electric cars including the Nissan LEAF and the Chevrolet Volt. Critics contend that the cost of upgrading would be covered by the state of California as part of its “ReConnect California” program, something the company has apparently decided not to pursue.

Costco’s decision has EV proponents up in arms with Southern California Public Radio claiming that more than 800 activists have sent letters to the retailer demanding the company to reconsider its decision or risk losing their membership. Costco, like Sam’s Club and BJ’s, relies on paid memberships to fund its stores. In exchange, customers receive access to discounted groceries and home furnishings at prices 10 to 50 percent lower than other stores.

Write In Campaign

The advocacy group Plug In America has published a sample email people can send to Costco requesting that the company reconsider its decision. It says in part:

“A new era has begun. Thousands of Chevy Volts and Nissan LEAFs have already been delivered to drivers. Smart and BMW are currently leasing electric cars. Ford’s electric Focus is coming soon. In fact, every major automaker has announced plans to release a plug-in vehicle by 2012-13.”

The letter also asks the company to cease removing additional units. However, that point may be moot as some people are claiming that Costco has removed all of its units or shut down its remaining stations until electricians can stop by to complete the work.

California Network

California, Washington and Oregon are among the western states leading in building a comprehensive electric vehicle charging network to make it easier for owners to hook up their cars at public places and recharge. Owners of such vehicles can find these stations by googling “electric vehicle charging stations” for their area and find units nearby. Such cars are also equipped with navigation systems that will take drivers to the nearest station.