Menomonee Falls-based Kohl’s Department Stores today announced the company will expand its electric vehicle (EV) charging station initiative with 36 new stations across 18 additional Kohl’s locations by the end of fall 2012.
The expansion spans three new states, including Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, and adds additional locations to the company’s Texas EV program.
With the expansion, Kohl’s shoppers will be able to take advantage of a total of 101 charging stations at 52 Kohl’s locations across 14 states. Each of the participating Kohl’s locations will have two or three parking spaces reserved for EV drivers to charge at no cost while they shop.
The new locations in Wisconsin will include: one station at Kohl’s headquarters in Menomonee Falls; two stations at the Menomonee Falls Credit Center; two stations at Bayshore in Glendale; three stations at Madison West; and two stations in Johnson Creek.
“Since Kohl’s EV charging station initiative began in December 2011, it has received extremely positive feedback from our customers who are excited about the added convenience,” said John Worthington, Kohl’s chief administrative officer. “From our solar program to our green building efforts, Kohl’s has been pleased to be able to grow sustainability programs that make sense for our business, customers and communities – and our EV program is one more great example.”
To maximize the number of participating Kohl’s locations, the company partners with Duke Energy, ChargePoint and ECOtality Inc. on its EV charging station program.
The charging stations will be available at select Kohl’s stores through Dec. 31, 2013, after which Kohl’s will assess opportunities to expand upon the effort.
The charging stations can be activated by EV drivers in various ways, including radio frequency identification (RFID) cards available at Kohl’s customer service desks and via phone numbers provided on the charging stations.
Kohl’s EV charging station initiative supports Kohl’s commitment to being a leading environmentally responsible retailer through strategies including waste reduction and recycling, environmentally responsible building design and operation, use and support of renewable energy, energy efficiency initiatives, supply chain sustainability efforts and stakeholder engagement. To date, Kohl’s has more than 120 solar locations, more than 700 Energy Star-labeled locations and nearly 300 LEED-certified locations nationwide. Kohl’s also ranks first in retail and second overall on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s list of top green power partners, purchasing enough green power to offset 100 percent of its purchased electricity use.
