Seven Automakers Join Forces for High-powered Charging Network
Thursday, July 27th, 2023 AutoIn a groundbreaking move towards advancing electric vehicle (EV) adoption, seven of the world’s most prominent automakers -- BMW Group, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz Group, and Stellantis NV -- have announced the establishment of a joint venture aimed at revolutionizing EV charging infrastructure in North America.
The joint venture’s primary focus will be the development of an expansive, high-powered charging network consisting of at least 30,000 chargers. The charging stations will be strategically located in metropolitan areas, along major highways, connecting corridors, and popular vacation routes.
With generous support from both public and private funds, the joint venture aims to leverage generational investments in public charging on both the Federal and State levels, significantly expediting the installation of high-powered charging infrastructure. These stations will be accessible to all battery-powered electric vehicles from any automaker that utilizes the Combined Charging System (CCS) or the North American Charging Standard (NACS).
The first charging stations are slated to open in the United States in the summer of 2024, with Canada’s rollout expected at a later stage.
The charging network’s functions and services will integrate seamlessly with participating automakers’ in-vehicle and in-app experiences. Customers can expect features like reservations, intelligent route planning and navigation, payment applications, transparent energy management, and more. Leveraging Plug & Charge technology, the network will further enhance the overall customer experience.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Energy, there are currently 32,000 publicly available DC fast chargers in the US serving 2.3M EVs, resulting in a ratio of 72 vehicles per charger. With the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) estimating a need for approximately 182,000 DC fast chargers to support 30-42 million EVs expected on the roads by 2030, the demand for fast and reliable public charging infrastructure is evident.
Given the anticipated surge in EV sales -- projected to exceed 50% of total U.S. sales by 2030 -- the establishment of this network becomes all the more crucial to facilitate widespread electric vehicle adoption.
