DC fast charging network Electrify America announced its latest complimentary charging program available for EV owners today. Looking ahead, future owners of the upcoming Hyundai IONIQ 6 will receive two years of free 30-minute charging sessions on its network, offering speeds up to 350 kW – perfect for the electric streamliner’s 800V e-GMP platform.

Electrify America operates the largest fast-charging network in North America with businesses in the US and Canada. It currently operates over 800 charging stations, hosting approximately 3,500 chargers, and is investing over $2 billion in EV infrastructure to expand its footprint, consumer education, and charger access.

In addition to its growing footprint of DC fast chargers, Electrify America supports its customers by offering certain opportunities for complimentary charging, like on holidays such as Earth Day, for instance. Furthermore, the network has implemented free charging sessions for new EVs owners with various automakers, including Hyundai with the Kona Electric and IONIQ 5.

Today, EA announced it is expanding its free charging partnership with Hyundai by adding two years of sessions for owners of the upcoming IONIQ 6 streamliner EV.

Hyundai IONIQ 6 will come with two years of free charging

In a press release today, Electrify America detailed its latest complimentary charging program, which will enable Hyundai IONIQ 6 owners to take advantage of two years of unlimited 30-minute sessions from their date of purchase. EA’s current vice president of technology and soon-to-be president and CEO, Rob Barrosa, spoke:

We are excited for a third collaboration with Hyundai to offer customers hyper-fast charging experiences to EV owners. We look forward to helping advance the electric vehicle revolution with leading automakers such as Hyundai and their latest IONIQ 6 model.

IONIQ 6 owners will be some of the few EV drivers that can take advantage of the 350 kW charge speeds certain Electrify America DC fast chargers can provide, thanks to Hyundai Motor Group’s 800V e-GMP platform. Hyundai Motor North America’s vice president of product planning and mobility strategy, Olabisi Boyle, explained:

Our investment in the 800V e-GMP platform that enables DC fast charging aligned with customer research that our customers expect fast charging (10-80% in 18 mins) and high AER (361 miles). Our customer’s experience is further enhanced by our extended partnership with EA that provides complimentary access to the fastest charging network. The best-in-class and ultra-fast charging IONIQ 6 allows our customers to enjoy a fun EV driving experience. The extended partnership with Electrify America continues to provide our customers convenient and complimentary access to the fastest charging, especially on long-distance trips.

In late February, Hyundai shared initial pricing for the IONIQ 6 ahead of its official launch in the US this spring. We will be driving the all-electric streamliner for the first time in Arizona this week, so stay tuned for a full report on that experience.

Solar electric vehicle start-up Aptera Motors has announced its first fleet order from SustainabilitySooner, Inc. The initial pre-order is for 101 of Aptera’s 400-mile range solar EVs and is expected to deliver millions in future revenue. However, what may be more exciting is the prospect of future fleet orders as SustainabilitySooner looks to eventually operate a fleet of over 100,000 SEVs.

As one of the few remaining solar EV start-ups left in the world and the closest to reaching scaled vehicle production, Aptera Motors has been pulling out all the stops in recent months to ensure it can deliver its potentially revolutionary technology to its loyal reservation holders.

While debuting its Launch Edition solar EV this past January, Aptera’s cofounders shared that the start-up still required tens of millions in additional funding to officially begin production. A week later, Aptera launched its Accelerator program to raise additional funds from reservation holders willing and able to invest at least $10,000 to secure their spot in the delivery line, prioritized by whoever donates the most.

Last week, we shared news that Aptera had nixed the late March expiry for the Accelerator program, extending it until all 2,000 of the first SEV build slots are spoken for. Aptera shared it intends to use those funds to make necessary production equipment purchases that will be reimbursed through a recently awarded grant from the California Energy Commission to the tune of $21 million.

Today, Aptera Motors is reporting it has the potential for millions in future revenue, thanks to a fleet pre-order from SustainabilitySooner, Inc.

Aptera secures first fleet order with hopes plenty will follow

Aptera Motors shared the details of its first-ever fleet order today, which entails a pre-order for 101 of the start-up’s 400-mile range solar EV. The reservation from SustainabilitySooner is valued at $3.35 million in future revenues and, according to Aptera, represents the first of many more partnerships with companies seeking a sustainable fleet solution.

Aptera may be off and running with a customer like SustainabilitySooner in its Rolodex, as it has already shared intentions to grow the initial fleet of 101 Apterae (learned a new word today) to over 101,000 solar EVs as it continues its expansion across the US. The start-up’s CEO, David Fuller, spoke to the pre-order with Aptera:

SustainabilitySooner.com placed Aptera’s first fleet order because Aptera is building the most climate positive vehicle on the planet. The next mobility revolution must be a climate positive revolution. Our missions fit together like they were made to. In our search for our Climate Positive Mobility Partner, it was easy, in fact effortless, to see Aptera and SustainabilitySooner.com could have a long, mutually productive, even symbiotic relationship.

SustainabilitySooner, Inc. is working to alleviate climate change using what it calls Climaculture – the science and practice of cultivating plants and organisms synchronously with land management to produce clean, sustainable air, water, and energy.

The company states its pre-ordered fleet of Aptera solar EVs will enable it to scout and locate raw land sites without pesky emissions, then will utilize “artificially intelligent robotic solutions” to map, plant, and study native plants and wildlife in those areas. Aptera cofounder and co-CEO Chris Anthony spoke to the start-up’s first fleet order as well:

We’re grateful to establish our very first fleet deal with SustainabilitySooner.com, a change-maker that embraces the solar mobility movement and empowers the community to make the world a better place. It’s great to see a forward-thinking company deploying this technology in such an innovative way.

SustainabilitySooner.com will continue to educate and promote sustainability to its subscribers while giving them the digital tools to track their own shrinking carbon footprints. If and when Aptera begins production of its solar EVs, they will certainly help the start-up on its journey toward curing the world’s climate in addition to providing sustainable, long-range mobility to other fleet operations.

Aptera’s SEVs are still available for pre-order, and hundreds of slots for the Launch Edition remain open. Furthermore, reservation holders can take advantage of a discounted membership to SustainabilitySooner.com with their reservation and can benefit from a 30% discount on their Aptera reservation fee.

Genesis Motor revealed today that the fully electric “Electrified GV70,” assembled in the US at its Alabama facility, is now available to US buyers in 15 states.

After vowing to end new gas-powered models by 2026, Genesis revealed its vision for a 100% zero-emission lineup by the end of the decade.

The South Korean luxury brand, part of the Hyundai Motor Group, began its quest for a cleaner future with the release of the electric GV60 crossover SUV in 2019, its first dedicated EV based on the E-GMP platform (check out our full review here).

Its BEV lineup expanded last year with the arrival of the Electrified G80 executive sedan, an all-electric version of its G80 luxury sedan with 282 miles EPA-estimated range and a starting MSRP of $79,825.

The luxury automaker unveiled its third fully electric model, the Genesis Electrified GV70, which will be the first Genesis model assembled in the US at its Montgomery, Alabama facility last year.

Genesis said the first US-built GV70 Electrified SUV rolled off the production line last month, and now the automaker says the models are arriving at dealerships.

Genesis electric GV70 SUV is now available to US buyers

The company revealed Tuesday the electric GV70 is now available in 15 states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Claudia Marquez, chief operating officer at Genesis Motor North America, said the launch of the electric SUV is a “significant moment for the brand ” as it continues to expand its EV lineup in the US.

The 2023 Electrified GV70 rides on the brand’s GV70 platform, featuring the “Beauty of the White Space” interior for a spacious, luxurious-feeling interior.

In addition, the Electrified GV70 features dual 160 kW front and rear electric motors, a 77.4 kWh lithium-ion battery, a 400/800V multi-charging system, and 236 miles range.