In July 2023, Ionna, a collaborative effort among seven prominent automakers worldwide – BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, and Stellantis – announced plans to construct a high-powered EV charging network across North America. Now, after receiving approval from regulatory bodies, the venture is officially launching its operations.
Ionna’s charging network will be compatible with all electric vehicles featuring NACS or CCS connectors, aiming to deliver a seamless, vehicle-integrated charging experience of the highest caliber. This will be achieved by offering various amenities such as restrooms, food services, and nearby retail operations, as well as digital integration and attractive locations.
Customers can anticipate easily accessible locations equipped with canopies where feasible, enhancing customer comfort and charging convenience. The network’s services will seamlessly integrate with participating automakers’ in-vehicle and in-app experiences, including reservations, intelligent route planning, navigation, payment applications, transparent energy management, and more.
Ionna’s charging stations are set to be powered by renewable energy sources and backed by the collective quality, reliability, and resources of the world’s leading automakers. The EV charging network aims to establish a minimum of 30,000 high-powered charging stations strategically positioned throughout North America. Initial charging stations are slated to open in the United States in 2024, with plans for expansion into Canada thereafter. Each site will feature multiple high-powered chargers to support long-distance travel, aligning with the sustainability goals of all seven automakers.
With the appointment of Seth Cutler as Chief Executive Officer, Ionna aims to become one of the most accessible and dependable high-powered charging networks in North America, with plans to deploy at least 30,000 chargers.
Before joining EV Connect, Cutler played a pivotal role in engineering and overseeing the development and implementation of a high-powered charging network as Chief Engineer during the early stages of Electrify America. His career commenced at General Electric (GE), where he served as General Manager of EV infrastructure, focusing on the development, manufacturing, and deployment of charging stations, significantly contributing to GE’s presence in the electric mobility sector. As Senior Vice President of Technical Operations at EV Connect, Cutler expanded the network of charging station manufacturers. In his most recent role as President and Chief Operations Officer, he initiated several initiatives aimed at transitioning the company from a ‘start-up’ to a ‘scale-up’ phase.