The Ionna charging network, a joint venture between BMW, GM, Honda, Hyundai-Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis, announced in July last year, has officially begun operations in the North American market with official approval.
The Ionna charging network, a joint venture between BMW, GM, Honda, Hyundai-Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis, announced in July last year, has officially begun operations in the North American market with official approval.
Ionna will be led by Seth Cutler, who has a broad portfolio of electrified mobility solutions and charging businesses, having previously served as Senior Vice President of Technical Operations at EV Connect, where he significantly expanded the charging station manufacturer's footprint, and later as Chairman and COO, transforming EV Connect from a start-up to a scaled enterprise, having previously joined EV Connect at Electrify America served as Principal Engineer and first as General Manager of the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Division at General Electric. Seth Cutterer has a full range of experience and will lead the Ionna joint venture charging services company, which is a joint venture between seven major automotive manufacturers.
Seth Cutler, who has a wealth of electrified mobility solutions and charging businesses, will be the CEO of Ionna.
Ionna's initial goal is to install at least 30,000 high-power EV charging stations in the U.S. and Canada, and will support Tesla's NACS charging specification, which is approved by most automakers, as well as the common U.S. CCS1 specification to meet the power replenishment needs of next-generation vehicles. In addition, facilities including food and beverage services, retail services, toilets and other facilities will be set up in the charging stations, and the electricity generated by the charging stations themselves will be powered by renewable energy to achieve a more environmentally sustainable vision.
Ionna's high-power EV charging stations will support the NACS plug in the U.S., as well as the U.S. CCS1.
Ionna's first high-power charging station, which is expected to be set up in the U.S. by the end of this year, and later in Canada, the company said it will combine the strengths of BMW, GM, Honda, Hyundai-Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis to provide a high degree of digital integration, including payment methods, intelligent route planning and navigation, charging station reservations and transparent energy management, to bring a simpler user experience, and hope to take a firm position in the electrification transition in North America.