IONNA launches driver council as its US fast-charging network doubles
IONNA, the electric vehicle charging network established by eight car manufacturers, now operates over 180 charging sites in the United States, which is more than twice the number it had at the beginning of 2026. The company, based in Durham, North Carolina, is launching a council of well-known electric-vehicle reviewers to feed driver complaints back […] This story continues at The Next Web
IONNA , the electric vehicle charging network established by eight car manufacturers, now operates over 180 charging sites in the United States, which is more than twice the number it had at the beginning of 2026.
The company, based in Durham, North Carolina, is launching a council of well-known electric-vehicle reviewers to feed driver complaints back into network management.
Growth in this area came after JD Power’s 2026 study of public charging was published in August, in which IONNA obtained the highest score with 807 points out of a possible 1,000, beating the Mercedes-Benz Charging Network, which had 797, and the Rivian Adventure Network, which had 755; this was IONNA’s first year of eligibility.
The network is owned by BMW, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and Toyota, and IONNA currently operates the largest network in the United States consisting of 400kW chargers.
A large portion of the recent expansion has come through convenience stores; since announcing a partnership with Circle K in April, IONNA has opened over 40 charging stations in its stores and says usage at those sites has doubled since it took over operations.
IONNA has not developed its own app and instead uses platforms that drivers are already familiar with. The number of apps included has now increased to 19 thanks to new integrations with Presto, ChargeHub, and EV Connect.
Volvo drivers will be able to begin a session using Plug & Charge, a feature that allows the car to identify itself to the charger, and support for Toyota and Lexus is due in October.
Discounts for owners are also extending to include Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz customers, who can now get cheaper charging via their car manufacturers’ apps and the Plug & Charge system, joining BMW and GM, and IONNA says that its other founding brands will do the same.
Seth Cutler, CEO of IONNA, stated that the industry has regarded charging scale and charging quality as a tradeoff. However, he added that the network’s growth and its satisfaction rating indicate that drivers can expect both.
The long-term aim is far greater; when IONNA started up in 2024, it said it intended to have at least 30,000 chargers installed across North America by the end of the decade.
