Back in July 2023, a group of seven major automakers announced plans to form a public charging joint venture along the lines of the European consortium Ionity. EV fans welcomed the plan to deploy some 30,000 fast charging stations throughout North America, but we’ve heard very little since.

Now the venture has a name: IONNA. What’s more, it has received approval from regulatory authorities, and has officially commenced operations. The JV expects to open its first charging stations in the US in 2024, and plans to expand to Canada at a later stage.

IONNA is a joint venture of seven automakers: BMW, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis. Its charging network will be accessible to all EVs with CCS or NACS (Tesla) connectors.

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IONNA aims to provide “a seamless, vehicle-integrated, best-in-class charging experience.” Each charging station will feature multiple high-powered chargers, and sites will have amenities such as rest rooms, food service and retail operations “nearby or within the same complex.” Canopies to protect drivers from the elements will be provided “wherever possible,” and the network “will facilitate seamless integration with participating automakers’ in-vehicle and in-app experiences.”

IONNA has appointed EV industry veteran Seth Cutler as its CEO. Seth was formerly Senior VP of Technical Operations at EV Connect. He started his career at GE, and later worked at Electrify America.

“I am honored to lead IONNA and work alongside these esteemed automakers in shaping the future of electric mobility,” said CEO Cutler. “Our shared commitment to creating an extensive, high-powered charging network reflects our dedication to revolutionizing the entire EV charging experience and helping to drive widespread EV adoption.”

Source: IONNA