Tesla's extensive Supercharger network is often considered the gold standard in electric vehicle charging.
Since 2012, the automaker, led by CEO Elon Musk, has grown its charging network to over 6,000 locations worldwide, perfecting the balance of charging reliability and a convenient user experience.
Though access to Tesla's (TSLA) network is slowly rolling out to accommodate non-Tesla EVs, Toyota and a cohort of automotive competitors think much more can be done to improve the EV charging experience, which might help them sell more EVs in the future.
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In a recent announcement, Toyota's (TM) North American wing said it will become an investor and founding partner of the Ionna charging network of DC fast chargers.
The new charging provider aims to be a crucial asset for EV owners in North America and is backed by other industry giants like BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, and Stellantis.
The first of these charging stations is set to open later this year. By 2030, the goal is to have at least 30,000 charging ports on the continent. Each station will include both Tesla-standard NACS (North American Charging Standard) and CCS ports to welcome all drivers of battery-electric vehicles.
Details are slim, but the firm promises a "holistic customer experience" by providing EV drivers with stations that offer "amenities and convenience in addition to vehicle charging."
"We are excited to announce our support of Ionna to deploy DC fast chargers throughout the US and Canada," said Toyota Motor North America CEO Ted Ogawa. "We believe this will not only promote the adoption of BEVs and increase customer confidence in the technology, but it will provide our Toyota and Lexus customers with access to Ionna's rapidly growing charging network in North America."
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Running on empty
Toyota's investment and partnership with Ionna come as the future of Tesla's supercharging system remains unclear, thanks to strange moves by Elon Musk, including the firing and subsequent rehiring of his Supercharging team.
Tesla has been slow to roll out Supercharger access to non-Tesla vehicles. According to Tesla's Supercharging information page, Ford and Rivian are the only automakers whose cars can access NACS-equipped superchargers.
Meanwhile, owners of other brands' EVs are left to charge at what Tesla calls "Superchargers open to other EVs," equipped with a "magic dock" adapter designed to plug into both CCS and NACS ports. Though convenient, these stations are few and far between compared to the many supercharger locations open solely to Tesla vehicles.
The expansion of DC fast charging, like Tesla's Supercharging and Ionna's charging services, is crucial to future EV adoption. According to a recent study by KPMG, Americans still prefer gas-powered cars, but more critically, 60% of domestic consumers said that they want EV charging to take 20 minutes or less.
Most EV charging is not from a DC fast charger or Tesla's Superchargers. Many EV chargers in public areas, parking lots, and other easily accessible spaces pack much less power and take much slower to charge up, requiring several hours if a battery is significantly depleted from driving.
Toyota Motor Co., trading on the New York Stock Exchange as TM, is down 0.85% from the market open and is trading at $204.12 at the time of writing.
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