MENOMONEE FALLS, WI – Kohl’s Department Stores 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 fall2012.

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, according to the company.

“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.

Kohl’s, through a two-year partnership with Duke Energy, as a part of Indiana’s Project Plug-IN, installed six charging stations across three central Indiana Kohl’s stores in spring 2012. Additionally, Kohl’s has expanded its partnership with ECOtality, Inc. to install 30 EV charging stations at 15 Kohl’s locations across Illinois, Texas, and Wisconsin. These 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.

Charging stations can be activated by EV drivers in various ways including radio frequency identification (RFID) cards available at Kohl’s customer service desk and via phone numbers provided on the charging stations. Kohl’s charging station screens will display facts about the company’s sustainability efforts, including number of ENERGY STAR-labeled, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified and solar-powered store locations.

Click here to find Kohl’s locations with charging stations.