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Data: S&P Global; Chart: Tory Lysik/Axios Visuals

Electric vehicles accounted for 2.8% of monthly new-vehicle registrations in Northwest Arkansas in January — up from 1% the same month last year, Axios' Joann Muller reports.

Why it matters: With broader selection and some signs of moderating prices, mainstream car buyers are increasingly turning their EV curiosity into purchases.

Zoom out: EVs accounted for 7% of new vehicle registrations nationally in January, up from 4.1% in January 2022.

The big picture: There were 47 electric models available for sale in the U.S. at the end of January, up from 33 a year earlier.

Tesla's Model Y and Model 3 hold the largest market share nationwide and are still growing, but rival cars are quickly gaining ground. Tesla's nationwide market share continues to shrink — from 72% last January to 54% a year later.

General Motors' Chevrolet Bolt is the most popular non-Tesla EV, with a 10% share — partly because of a $6,000 price cut following a damaging battery recall.

Volkswagen's ID.4 and Ford's Mustang Mach-E rounded out the top five EVs registered in January by market share.

Between the lines: These data points represent  the continuing shift away from gas-powered autos, using vehicle registration data from S&P Global Mobility.

In 2022, electric vehicles made up 5.6% of all new-car registrations in the U.S.

That's up from 3.1% in 2021 and 1.8% in 2020, but still way behind China and Europe.

Yes, but: The U.S. is far from a complete transition. Less than 1% of the 279 million cars and light trucks on American roads are electric.

What's next: Existing consumer tax credits for EV purchases are being reworked — again — in part to bolster U.S. manufacturing and reduce reliance on China.

Changes to the existing $7,500 tax credit will likely affect the pace of adoption.

Walmart plans to install EV fast-chargers at thousands of Walmart and Sam's Club locations across the U.S. by 2030, the company says.

Why it matters: 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart — a statistic that underscores the retailer's potential to put fast EV charging within reach of far more drivers, including in underserved areas, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes.

While Arkansas can expect more charging stations over the next few years, thanks to $54.1 million from the Biden infrastructure law, the state's existing public chargers are largely concentrated in the most populated areas, with few options in rural areas, according to ChargeHub.

Walmart already has nearly 1,300 such chargers available at more than 280 locations.

The company is still sorting out the specifics, including how many chargers will be installed at each location, how close they'll be to each store's entrance and how they'll be powered.

What they're saying: "We see our commitment today as a natural extension of our work to help customers and members live better, easier and more sustainable lives," Vishal Kapadia, Walmart senior vice president for energy transformation, wrote in a blog post announcing the news.

He called it "a big win for busy families and drivers everywhere, our country and the planet."

State of play: Walmart is the latest retailer or fast-food chain to announce a major EV charging initiative, following 7-Eleven, Subway and others.

As EV adoption grows, retailers increasingly view charging as both a competitive necessity and an extra revenue stream.

Businesses could take a slice of charging fees, for example, or be eligible for government subsidies designed to encourage private companies to install more chargers.

Plus, charging an EV can take 20-30 minutes or more, depending on the car and charging system. This creates a pool of potential customers who are more likely to wander around a store making impulse purchases.

Walmart adds chargers as interest in electric vehicles nearly triples

The rate of new EV registrations is up in NWA.

Northwest Arkansas

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Electric vehicles" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/energy-environment/electric-vehicles" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/energy-environment/electric-vehicles" target="_self">Electric vehicles</a> accounted for 2.8% of monthly new-vehicle registrations in Northwest Arkansas in January — up from 1% the same month last year, Axios&#x27; Joann Muller reports.Why it matters: With broader selection and some signs of moderating prices, mainstream car buyers are increasingly turning their EV curiosity into purchases.

Business

News

 The country's first driverless trucks are operating on roads in Bentonville. They are shuttling merchandise for Walmart from a warehouse to a Neighborhood Market.

 What's new: Walmart and its self-driving technology partner, Gatik, said today they had pulled the human safety driver from autonomous delivery trucks on a 7-mile route in the retailer's hometown — an industry first, writes Axios' Joann Muller.

Details: Four-year-old Gatik has been working with Walmart on middle-mile logistics in Bentonville since 2019, initially with both a safety driver and a second operator in the passenger seat.

With permission from the Arkansas State Highway Commission, the trucks are now operating with nobody behind the wheel.

For now, the passenger still rides along as an observer, with limited access to the controls, to stop the truck in an emergency. A chase vehicle follows behind to observe as well.

The trucks move customer orders from a Walmart "dark store" (or micro-fulfillment center) to a nearby Neighborhood Market.

The initial driving route was selected to minimize risk: It avoids schools and hospitals, and favors right turns over unprotected left turns — a common practice among UPS drivers, too.

The big picture: Short urban routes are becoming more common as retailers like Walmart turn to hub-and-spoke distribution to fulfill growing online orders for same-day store pickup.  Retailers need to be able to move goods from micro-fulfillment centers to nearby stores quickly.  

Gatik has been incrementally developing self-driving technology.  They started with the "middle mile" of the supply chain — short, fixed, repeatable delivery routes.

What they're saying: “This milestone signifies a revolutionary breakthrough for the autonomous trucking industry,” said Gautam Narang, CEO and co-founder of Gatik, based in Mountain View, California.

“Our deployment in Bentonville is not a one-time demonstration. These are frequent, revenue-generating, daily runs that our trucks are completing safely in a range of conditions on public roads."

The bottom line: Autonomous trucks are here and forever changing how goods are delivered and how drivers interact in traffic.

Walmart route in NW Arkansas goes driverless

The country's first driverless trucks are now operating on roads in Bentonville, shuttling merchandise for Walmart from a warehouse to a Neighborhood Market.

Gatik's technology enables this Walmart truck to drive itself. 

Gatik's technology enables this Walmart truck to drive itself. Photo: Gatik

Walmart

The country&#x27;s first driverless trucks are operating on roads in Bentonville. They are shuttling merchandise for Walmart from a warehouse to a Neighborhood Market. What&#x27;s new: Walmart and its self-driving technology partner, Gatik, said today they had pulled the human safety driver from autonomous delivery trucks on a 7-mile route in the retailer&#x27;s hometown — an industry first, writes Axios&#x27; Joann Muller.

Joann Muller

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Walmart adds chargers as interest in electric vehicles nearly triples

Walmart route in NW Arkansas goes driverless