Dive Brief:
- General Motors and California-based electric vehicle charging operator ChargePoint will partner to deploy 500 ultra-fast chargers across the U.S., the automaker announced on Wednesday.
- Many of the locations, which will be branded under the automaker’s subsidiary GM Energy, will feature ChargePoint’s new “Omni Port” chargers that automatically dispense a Combined Charging System or North American Charging Standard connector without the need for an adapter.
- The two companies plan to open the charging stations to the public before the end of 2025. Locations have not yet been announced.
Dive Insight:
In addition to the Omni Port chargers, many of the locations will feature ChargePoint’s Express Plus chargers with charging speeds of up to 500 kilowatts, adding hundreds of miles of range to an EV in 15 minutes or less, according to ChargePoint.
The companies are also offering an incentive program to make it easier for third-party ChargePoint operators to own and operate the EV charging locations, which can help expedite the rollout of additional charging infrastructure.
“The transition to electric mobility continues to be driven by leaders such as General Motors offering innovative EVs and committing to make chargers as ubiquitous as possible,” ChargePoint CEO and president Rick Wilmer said in the release. “Our collaboration with GM represents a significant investment in the infrastructure to enable fast and easy charging for all.”
GM is also working with other partners, including charging operator EVgo, to build charging infrastructure as it prepares to launch new EVs. The two companies plan to build a total of 2,850 DC fast charging stalls in the U.S., including 400 in major metropolitan areas in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New York and Texas. Some of these locations will be designated as flagship sites co-branded by EVgo and GM Energy and feature nearby amenities.
“Continuing to provide customers with better charging options helps to remove barriers to EV adoption and improve the ownership experience,” said Wade Sheffer, GM Energy VP, in the release.
GM is also a partner automaker in the Ionna EV charging joint venture along with BMW, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis. The JV plans to install at least 30,000 charging ports in North America by 2030 to expand public charging access. EV customers from each automaker will have access to the jointly operated network.
