- GM-Pilot stations with EVgo now cover more than 130 locations
- The automaker also has GM Energy projects with ChargePoint and EVgo
- GM is also part of Ionna, seeking 30,000 fast-chargers by 2030
Automakers beyond just Tesla have been committing to the EV infrastructure buildout; and among them, General Motors remains one of the most diversified in this push.
Tuesday, GM and Pilot Company, with the charging network EVgo, confirmed in an update that it’s been pushing ahead with its installation of electric vehicle fast-charging stations, with more than 130 locations now available in over 25 states.
The three partners originally announced plans in 2022 to install up to 2,000 EV fast-charging stalls at 500 different travel center locations, where road-trippers can also enjoy lounges, free wi-fi, various food and beverage options, modernized restrooms, and 24/7 staffing. The GM-Pilot network, with CCS connectors up to 350 kw, now covers I-75 from Michigan to Georgia, as well as several other regional corridors in the South and Midwest.
Pilot, GM, and EVgo build out EV fast-charging network
That was before the formation of the U.S. EV fast-charging network Ionna. That network has been backed by General Motors, BMW Group, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, and Stellantis from the time of its inception in 2023, with Toyota since joining. The proposed scale of that network—targeting 30,000 chargers by 2030, or roughly the same number Tesla has today—appears like it might be the first true rival to Tesla and its Supercharger network. Each piece of Ionna hardware can charge at up to 400 kw for one vehicle or split that for up to 200 kw for two vehicles and is plug-and-charge compatible.
GM and Pilot Company’s EV charging network
Tuesday’s announcement and the deployment with Pilot and Flying J don’t encompass all that GM and EVgo are doing together. As part of plans to install 2,850 charging stalls together, GM and EVgo also last September revealed plans for gas-station-like urban “flagship” EV charging sites with 350-kw connectors, in major U.S.-metro areas starting in 2025. Meanwhile, GM and ChargePoint are rolling out 500 DC fast-chargers at up to 500 kw each, utilizing ChargePoint’s OmniPort adapter encompassing CCS and NACS standards. Both of those latter efforts will be co-branded with GM Energy.
As a recent Consumer Reports survey suggested, drawing from good and bad feedback from thousands of charging sessions, users of third-party networks such as EVgo, Blink, and Shell Recharge encounter more than ten times the issues vs. Tesla and its Supercharger network. But with automakers more closely involved—like GM with these efforts—we look forward to seeing them smooth things over.
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