ChargePoint and GM Join Forces to Expand EV Charging
Recently, it was reported that 22 percent of new vehicles sold (PDF link) in California are EVs during the first nine months of 2024.
California might be leading in sales, but the rest of the nation is also buying more EVs. Overall sales of new EVs in the United States represents 8.9 percent of new auto sales in the third quarter of 2024 (an increase of 11 percent versus Q3 2023).
More EVs on the road means that the current charging station infrastructure will need to continue to grow. The transition from CCS to NACS will help expand the availability of charging to more EV owners. Another sign of automakers and charging networks working together is partnerships like Ionna. Another such partnership is GM and ChargePoint's recent news that the joint effort will install hundreds of new stations in the United States.
The stations will be branded GM Energy and most locations will be outfitted with ChargePoints Omni Port stations. Every cable at the individual stations are outfitted with both NACS and CCS plugs and will charge at up to 500kW.
The only GM Energy locations as part of this joint venture not receiving Omni Port stations will be because of technical reasons.
In a press release Rick Wilmer, CEO of ChargePoint stated, "Our collaboration with GM represents a significant investment in the infrastructure to enable fast and easy charging for all. Together, ChargePoint and GM will deliver a seamless fast charging experience via reliable charging hardware managed by our industry-leading software platform."
Wade Sheffer, GM Energy vice president said in the same press release "With ultra-fast charging, Omni Port technology, and excellent customer experiences, this collaboration should be another reason why EV drivers and the EV-curious should be excited."
The companies state that they plan to deploy the stations as quickly as possible and that some locations should be open by the end of 2025.
It's important to note that installing charging stations requires working with a local utility company and permitting. With each region being different, there's no one-size-fits-all plan and it's one of the main reasons that charging stations can take months or even years to go from the planning station to charging vehicles.