Apex, N.C. – If you own an electric car, it might be time to visit the Rechargery.
That’s the name that the new nationwide EV charging network called IONNA uses for its EV charging stations. Announced last year, IONNA is a joint venture backed by General Motors and seven other automakers that’s dedicated to rolling out convenient, attractive options for electric car owners looking for a place to juice up.
This week, IONNA launched its first location in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina. The Apex, NC Rechargery has 10 charging bays, supporting both NACS and CCS charging standards, with up to 400 kW of fast-charging capacity in each bay.
“For EV drivers used to nondescript fast chargers in the back of a grocery store parking lot, this IONNA Rechargery is going to provide a dramatically improved experience, responding to clear consumer feedback about what they want,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Global Commercial Growth Strategies and Operations said of his experience. “The connection between those of us developing EVs and a company building out charging helps ensure an easy, reliable experience.”
The Apex IONNA Rechargery is the first entry of a planned coast-to-coast network that is expected to expand north into Canada in the coming years. The Apex location offers snacks, restrooms, complimentary WiFI – and it is pet-friendly. The opening marks the next phase in IONNA’s growth, as it moves from public beta to a national release. The ribbon-cutting this week signals a strong commitment to building a charging network designed and engineered in the U.S.
“Part of GM Energy’s mission is taking customer needs and applying our expertise to help make EV ownership easier and more accessible to all,” said Wade Sheffer, vice president of GM Energy. “The work we’re doing with IONNA addresses three things stand out most: more public charging bays, more reliability, more amenities. It’s great to see the vision come to life here in Apex.”
IONNA has Rechargeries open or coming soon in more locations; you can follow progress on their website and social channels. IONAA has 100 sites across the country that are locked in, with a goal of 1,000 live charging bays by year end.
IONNA will also soon introduce automated grab-and-go refreshments enabled by AI computer vision technology that lets customers pick their snacks and simply walk out without checkout lines. Paired with the seamless, plug-and-charge experience coming soon for GM vehicles visiting IONNA sites, technology will make using those charging stops a breeze.
“This is more than just putting chargers in the ground. IONNA is building an experience, putting drivers’ interest at the forefront of every decision,” said Seth Cutler, IONNA CEO. “Along with our founding OEM partners, we will redefine what reliable charging looks like in North America and give drivers a true choice, from the showroom to the open road.
Source : GM
