Ionna, a charging network backed by a consortium of automakers, plans to build out 30,000 charging stations by 2030.
While there are a few different charging solutions available to electric vehicle owners, and Tesla’s Supercharger Network is still the dominant option, Ionna is finally coming online with more charging stations to (hopefully) make the experience smoother. This charging network — a joint venture among BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis and Toyota — was originally announced in mid-2023 and promised to add at least 30,000 live vehicle charging stations for owners by 2030. Now, its first stations are officially out of their beta testing phase, with sites opening to the public in Abilene, Kansas; Houston, Texas and Willcox, Arizona this week.
Since its launch in February 2024, Ionna has contracted out more than 100 charging sites, with the goal to bring 1,000 individual charging bays online by the end of this year.
“After a rigorous testing phase in late 2024, automaker vehicle fleets and everyday drivers helped stress-test the Ionna network, completing more than 4,400 charging sessions, on over 80 unique vehicle models, and dispensing nearly 63,000 kilowatt-hours of energy,” the company said in a statement Wednesday.
For some stations — or “rechargaries”, as Ionna is trying to coin them — the idea isn’t just to provide EV owners a place to charge up, but a whole “world-class” experience. Later on in Q1 2025, starting with its location in Gardner, North Carolina, the company is rolling out a partnership with Amazon using its “Just Walk Out” technology in retail spaces, where folks can grab refreshments without having to stand in line.
Ionna charging stations are open to drivers whose cars have either CCS or NACS charging ports. The first iteration of these charging stations, called Genuine Charge Dispensers (makes you wonder about the marketing budget, doesn’t it?), can DC fast-charge one EV at a peak rate of 400 kW. They can also charge two EVs at the same time, at up to 200 kW each.
