Automakers are having their ‘Avengers assemble’ moment as Ionna has received approval from regulators to begin operations. This is a significant development and one that could make charging electric vehicles far better.
The firm was originally announced last summer and is a joint venture between BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, and Stellantis. It aims to establish “one of the most accessible and reliable high-powered charging networks in North America with plans to deploy at least 30,000 chargers.”
Ionna hasn’t released many details at this point, but they’re planning to open their first charging station in the United States later this year. The firm also has plans to expand into Canada at a “later stage.”
Each station will have multiple high-power chargers that will be accessible to electric vehicles with NACS or CCS connectors. Furthermore, stations will be located at “convenient” and “appealing locations” that have “various amenities, such as restrooms, food service, and retail operations nearby or within the same complex.” The company also noted stations will have canopies, when possible, so hopefully you won’t get soaked when it’s raining.
The stations are slated to be powered by renewable energy and offer the reliability and quality that one would expect. On top of that, users can expect “seamless integration with participating automakers’ in-vehicle and in-app experiences, encompassing reservations, intelligent route planning and navigation, payment applications, transparent energy management, and additional features.” In effect, we can likely expect a plug and charge capability as well as extensive integration into infotainment systems.
More: With An Eye On Tesla, 7 Major Carmakers Unite To Create New EV Charging Network
We should learn more in the coming months, but Seth Cutler has been named Ionna’s CEO. He previously worked at EV Connect, Electrify America, and General Electric.
