Charging your EV could become a free perk of shopping, if more merchants follow the lead of Kohl’s Department Stores. The nationwide chain announced Thursday that it will install charging stations at 33 of its stores in 11 states. Each will have one to four parking spaces reserved for EV drivers to charge at no cost while they shop.

14 Kohl’s locations will have chargers installed by ECOtality, as part of The EV Project, and 19 locations will be members of Coulomb Technologies’ ChargePoint Network. Both of these nationwide networks of charging stations are supported by loans from the US Department of Energy. Kohl’s, which has 1,127 stores in 49 states, has long been recognized as a green retailer – 110 of its locations have solar arrays, two have wind units, and the company claims to derive 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources.

“Kohl’s pilot of electric vehicle charging stations demonstrates our commitment to advancing environmental solutions in a meaningful and tangible way for our customers,” said John Worthington, Kohl’s chief administrative officer. “Not only are these stations an added shopper convenience, they also encourage environmental responsibility among our shoppers. We will continue to explore additional locations to pilot charging stations at our stores nationwide.”

www.kohls.com

Image: ECOTality