Industry News: IONNA - High-Powered EV Charging Begins Operations in North America

[David]

Back on July 26th, 2023, we reported that seven automakers came together to form a charging network to rival that of Tesla.  Today, they announced that on February 1st, 2023, CEO Seth Cutler started IONNA operations in Torrance, California with the announcement of having received approval from regulatory authorities, and is commencing operations.

This joint venture of these foremost automakers will bring a open charging network that is accessible to all electric vehicles with both NACS and CCS connectors. The aim is to provide a seamless, vehicle integrated, best-in-class charging experience.

IONNA's charging stations will offer canopies to park under while charging wherever possible with additional customer amenities, such as restrooms, food service, with retail nearby or in the same complex, in digitally integrated and appealing locations. These locations will offer unprecedented comfort with network functions and services that facilitate 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 to come.

Aligning with the sustainability strategies of the seven automakers, IONNA has a target of 30,000 high-powered fast charging stations strategically positioned throughout North America, backed where possible by renewable energy and storage.

The first high-speed fast charging stations will open in the United States in 2024 followed by stations in Canada shortly thereafter.

IONNA LLC aims to become a leading force in providing convenient, accessible, and reliable North American Fast-charging infrastructure to significantly enhance the appeal of zero-emission driving for millions of customers.

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[Drew Dowdell]

Good that they're doing NACS.  I think we're going to see more charging networks with press releases about native NACS support soon.  The way the Tesla Universal Wall Connector integrates CCS and NACS is the way to do it, but I'm not sure how that would work for DC fast charging. Probably Magic Dock style from a Tesla Super Charger, but I don't know if Tesla has released the IP on that.

[David]

8 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Good that they're doing NACS.  I think we're going to see more charging networks with press releases about native NACS support soon.  The way the Tesla Universal Wall Connector integrates CCS and NACS is the way to do it, but I'm not sure how that would work for DC fast charging. Probably Magic Dock style from a Tesla Super Charger, but I don't know if Tesla has released the IP on that.

Searching I find no other company doing what Tesla has done there. Very smart of them. I do wonder if most are just waiting to change over and drop CCS with only a couple companies not committing to NACS for this market in North America.