7 auto giants unite to build universal network of 30K+ clean-energy-powered fast chargers to North America
And yes, it’ll have NACS accessibility. In a shocking but exciting announcement this morning, a group of some of the world’s largest automakers has combined forces into a new joint venture to deliver a new “high-powered” charger network across cities and highways in North America to expedite EV adoption. Oh, and they intend to power the entire network with renewable energy.
This is big news.
In covering this beat, we’ve seen EV adoption and innovation, as a whole, absolutely snowball globally in recent years. In North America, the transition to EVs by legacy automakers and consumers alike has been expedited by advantageous legislation implemented by US and Canadian governments.
In the US, the Biden administration’s Build Back Better Plan and passed Inflation Reduction Act have established federal tax credits for new and used EV leases and purchases, while helping fund the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program to enable the installation of EV charging stations around the country.
The past two years especially, we’ve seen young and legacy EV automakers alike pairing up with existing charging networks that are slowly but surely expanding availability – permitting, grid access, and maintenance woes be damned.
Despite all that, Tesla’s Supercharger network has remained the undisputed champion in fast charger access and dependability, especially now that universal Magic Dock piles are rolling out, offering charging access to other branded EVs.
While our recent focus has been on nearly all major automakers and charging networks adopting Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS), it appears to be a mere footnote in today’s story that could see the number of publicly available DC fast chargers nearly double in a short time.
So who’s behind this massive joint venture to deliver a clean-powered charger network? You’ll recognize every single name.
JV network to double EV fast charger access in the US
BMW Group, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz Group, Stellantis NV – what an unprecedented roster of automotive prowess teaming up for a yet-to-be-named charging joint venture.
The seven new partners state that the joint venture intends to leverage federal and state investments in public charging with its own public and private funding, to quickly develop and implement a new network of “high-powered” chargers across North America. Each pending site will be equipped with multiple DC fast chargers that will be accessible to any and all EV drivers, whether their vehicle is using CCS or NACS. Well, maybe not all EVs… no mention of CHAdeMO (sorry LEAF drivers).
Per the US Department of Energy, there are 32,000 publicly available DC fast chargers in the United States as of July 2023, but 2.3 million EVs are vying for a plug. That’s a ratio of 72 vehicles per charger. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) estimates that 182,000 DC fast chargers will be needed in the US alone to support the 30-42 million BEVs and PHEVs estimated on roads by 2030.
Beginning later this year, the new joint venture intends to add at least 30,000 new chargers to the tally sheet and is already vowing to deliver an experience that is “seamless, vehicle integrated, and supported by the quality, reliability, and resources of world-leading automakers.”
The network will also be powered by 100% renewable energy and offers Plug & Charge capabilities for those vehicles that support it. The CEO of each of the seven new charging partners had something to say, but Mercedes Group chief Ola Källenius’s words resonated most:
The fight against climate change is the greatest challenge of our time. What we need now is speed – across political, social and corporate boundaries. To accelerate the shift to electric vehicles, we’re in favor of anything that makes life easier for our customers. Charging is an inseparable part of the EV-experience, and this network will be another step to make it as convenient as possible.
The initial plans for the network will see fast chargers installed in metropolitan areas and along major highways in North America, including connecting corridors and “vacation routes.” (You’d better start saving for Disney World.) These all won’t simply be charging piles in some random parking lot either – the new partners are genuinely looking to deliver a best-in-class EV charging experience and have said so outright. Per this morning’s release:
Focused on customer comfort and charging ease, the stations will be in convenient locations offering canopies wherever possible and amenities such as restrooms, food service and retail operations either nearby or within the same complex. A select number of flagship stations will be equipped with additional amenities, delivering a premier experience designed to showcase the future of charging.
The joint venture says work on the new fast charger network will begin later this year with first stations expected to open in the US next summer. Canada’s first stations will come “at a later stage.” Sorry!
Electrek’s Take
This is honestly shocking news.
I couldn’t believe it when I saw it on the page…
Honda?!?
Kidding. All are welcome in news like today’s joint venture, and Honda has found some truly strong company as it works to play catchup in a market landscape that is expected to see at least 50% of vehicle sales in the US be electric by the end of the decade.
This alliance may seem like its gunning for the Tesla Supercharger network and maybe it is, but who cares? We as EV drivers all benefit and so does the prospect of steadfast EV adoption. Tesla also doesn’t have anything to worry about as its network is only getting larger, plus everyone has essentially adopted its standard anyway so I think it’ll be just fine.
The real focus here should be the 30,000 new chargers on the way. Additionally, they’ll be powered entirely by renewable energy? *Chef’s kiss*
30K new piles are not enough to keep up with adoption yet, but one giant leap forward with plenty of automotive clout in the JV to instill confidence. Let’s just hope they don’t name the charger network something stupid like “X.”
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British Columbia got its first 400 kW DC fast charger last week at Canadian C-store chain On The Run, but that’s not the good part. As part of a limited time offer, these chargers are FREE!
The Canadian convenience store chain just took the wraps off its new, ABB-developed, 400 kW chargers earlier this month, but they’re already planning to bring the ultra-fast 400 kW dispensers to at least four more locations in BC this spring, and have them online just in time for the summer road trip season – something On The Run hopes its customers will appreciate.
“The A400 charger delivers an enhanced customer experience, with reliability and performance from a 32-inch screen to higher power charging sessions and power sharing,” reads the company’s official announcement, via LinkedIn. “Download the Journie Rewards app to start the charge – free for a limited time.”
On The Run’s new 400 kW ABB DC fast chargers are compatible with CCS and CHAdeMO plugs, and can accommodate Tesla and other NACS-equipped vehicles with an adapter. That said, the company seems to imply that Tesla drivers in particular will have a maximum charging speed of “just” 50 kW, which feel hilarious (given the current state of affairs between Tesla and the Canadian government), but probably isn’t.
In addition to the ABB A400 400 kW units shown here, On The Run locations also employ the ABB Terra 184 dispensers rated at 180 kW. On The Run plans similar deployments at the four BC locations mentioned above, as well as two more each in Quebec and Ontario slated to go live towards the end of this year.
Electrek’s Take
Tesla’s controversial CEO Elon Musk once mocked 350 kW charging speed as being “for a child’s toy,” despite the fact that, nearly nine years later, his own cars and Superchargers can barely make it to 325 kW while others have sailed right on past. I made fun of that fact on the Quick Charge episode shown, above – and, while I do think it’s funny and relevant, the much more relevant piece of news here is that companies like BP Pulse, Revel, and Wallbox are actively deploying 400 kW solutions, today (while others hit the same mark as far back as 2017).
It’s just a fact: Tesla has fallen way behind.
SOURCE | IMAGES: On The Run, via Electric Autonomy.
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Terawatt Infrastructure‘s first medium- and heavy-duty electric charging truck stop in California is now online, in Rancho Dominguez.
Located 12 miles north of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, the private Rancho Dominguez site, which is shared among multiple fleets, will support electric trucking fleet operations in and out of the largest container ports in the US.
First customers include Dreaded Trucking, Hight Logistics, PepsiCo, Quick Container Drayage, Southern Counties Express, Tradelink Transport, and WestCoast Trucking & Warehousing.
Terawatt’s electric charging truck stop features 20 pull-through and bobtail DC fast charging stalls with a capacity of 7 megawatts (MW), enabling charging for up to 125 trucks per day using a simple reservations system. Terawatt’s site features a proprietary charge management system, in-house technicians, 24/7 customer service, and onsite parts management.
“This launch underscores growing collaboration between enterprises, shippers, carriers, and charging infrastructure providers to advance sustainable technologies across logistics and transportation operations, especially in the medium and heavy-duty sectors,” said Neha Palmer, CEO and cofounder of Terawatt. Palmer added that the company will bring another charging site online in Rialto, California, in June.
Terawatt joined some of the world’s largest shippers and carriers in September 2024 to launch the I-10 Consortium heavy-duty EV operations pilot, the “first-ever US over-the-road electrified corridor.” Terawatt is providing charging infrastructure, including software, operations, and maintenance support at six of its owned charging hubs along the I-10 corridor.
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In its most aggressive attack against offshore wind yet, the Trump administration halted the $5 billion Empire Wind 1, already under construction off New York’s coast.
Norwegian developer Equinor announced yesterday that it received notice from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) ordering Empire Wind 1 to halt all activities on the outer continental shelf until BOEM has completed its review. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum posted this tweet yesterday:
Burgum gave no indication of what insufficiencies there were in the approval process for the fully permitted offshore wind project, despite Trump’s recent declaration of a national energy emergency that speeds up permitting processes.
The commercial lease for the 810-megawatt (MW) Empire Wind 1’s federal offshore wind area was signed in March 2017 during the first Trump administration. It was approved by the Biden administration in November 2023 and began construction in 2024.
The project is being developed under contract with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Empire Wind 1, which was due to come online in 2027, has the potential to power 500,000 New York homes.
“Halting construction of fully permitted energy projects is the literal opposite of an energy abundance agenda,” said American Clean Power Association CEO Jason Grumet in a statement. “We encourage the administration to quickly address perceived inadequacies in the prior permit approvals so that this project can complete construction and bring much-needed power to the grid.”
As Electrek reported, Equinor secured $3 billion to finance Empire Wind 1 in January. The total amount drawn under the project finance term loan facility as of March 31 was around $1.5 billion.
As of March 31, Empire Wind has a gross book value of around $2.5 billion, including South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (pictured above), which was expected to become the US’s largest dedicated port facility for offshore wind.
In response to BOEM’s stop work order, New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued the following statement:
Every single day, I’m working to make energy more affordable, reliable and abundant in New York and the federal government should be supporting those efforts rather than undermining them. Empire Wind 1 is already employing hundreds of New Yorkers, including 1,000 good-paying union jobs as part of a growing sector that has already spurred significant economic development and private investment throughout the state and beyond.
As Governor, I will not allow this federal overreach to stand. I will fight this every step of the way to protect union jobs, affordable energy and New York’s economic future.
Equinor says it’s considering appealing BOEM’s order.
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