THE THREE BIG TAKEAWAYS:
1. The network will offer 2,000 charging stations at 500 stations located every 50 miles along US highways.
2. They will be co-branded as “Pilot Flying J” and “Ultium Charge 360” stations, based on Pilots’ existing Flying J driving hubs and operated by EVGo’s eXtend service.
3. The travelers will have access to a variety of on-road services, from Wi-Fi at rest areas to on-site restaurants, fresh deli selections, countless caffeine methods and even safe showers.
THE SKINNY” 3 I DON’T KNOW WHAT ADVERTSIMENT IS?
The adoption of electric vehicles has reached its tipping point in the United States. With the increasing appearance of electric vehicles on American roads, automakers and charging networks are scrambling to build increasingly essential energy infrastructure to keep these electric vehicles moving. On Thursday, GM announced it would partner with Pilot Company and EVGo to build a nationwide DC fast-charging network from coast to coast.
“The missing piece in the bigger picture of public charges is along freeway corridors, connecting east to west, north to south, from one metropolitan area to another,” Travis Hester said that  director of electric vehicles at GM, at a press conference on Wednesday.  “They form a vital network, moving vehicles and people across the country. Rural areas can also be particularly affected by the lack of DC fast charging in these areas.”
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The network will offer 2,000 charging stations at 500 stations located every 50 miles along US highways, “connecting urban and rural communities, the east and west coasts and different metropolitan areas,” according to a press release Thursday. They will be co-branded as “Pilot Flying J” and “Ultium Charge 360″ stations, based on Pilots’ existing Flying J driving hubs and operated by EVGo’s eXtend service. The stations will offer a maximum charging rate of 350kW. There aren’t many electric vehicles on the market yet that can use full power, but stations will automatically reduce the current to what the specific vehicle is designed to handle. These locations will be accessible and adaptable to all brands of electric vehicles, although GM owners will enjoy additional benefits, such as exclusive reservations and discounts on charging sessions.
“GM and Pilot Company designed this program to combine private investment with planned government subsidies and utility programs to help reduce range anxiety and significantly close the demand gap for chargers from long-haul electric vehicles,” Shameek Konar, CEO of Pilot Company, said in the statement. . “Our travel centers are well equipped to accommodate electric vehicle charging with 24/7 service and convenient proximity to major highways across the country.”
This isn’t the first time GM and EVGo have collaborated. The two worked together last year to place 500 Ultium-compatible fast chargers at various EVGo stations and are now working to install 3,250 more fast chargers in cities and suburbs by mid-decade. For its part, GM is coordinating with seven separate charging networks Blink Charging, Charge Point, EV Connect, EVgo, FLO, Greenlots and SemaConnect as part of a $750 million investment to expand Ultium Charge 360 ​​access. There are over 100,000 charging points in North America.
“GM agrees with the customer’s need for a robust charging experience that makes the transition to an EV seamless and helps drive mass adoption,” Hester said in April. “As we launch 30 electric vehicles globally by the end of 2025, Ultium Charge 360​​ simplifies and improves the home charging experience and the public charging experience, whether in the community or when traveling by car.
The first stations of the new national network are expected to go into service in early 2023. There, travelers will have access to a variety of on-road services, from Wi-Fi at rest areas to on-site restaurants, fresh deli selections, countless caffeine methods and even safe showers.
