• Ionna is a charging network formed by seven big automakers.
• Their first charging site will open up near their North Carolina HQ with a variety of amenities.
• With 30,000 more charging stations planned, more of these stations are likely.

I don’t think I’m only speaking for myself when I say that generally, DC fast charging is a dismal experience. Oh, sure, it’s neat that cars can run on electricity, that the charging infrastructure is getting better all the time and so are the cars themselves. But standing in the heat or the rain, typically in a Walmart parking lot, and plugging or unplugging your car while you pray the software all works the way it’s supposed to?

Not great, folks. Not what you want. 

But the new Ionna network seems intent on doing better. That’s the giant charging conglomerate formed by a Voltron-like team-up of automakers including General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, BMW and others. And today, Ionna said it broke ground on its first-ever charging site, which it calls a “Rechargery.” The first site will be located near Ionna’s headquarters in the town of Apex, North Carolina, in the Raleigh-Durham area. 

The rendering Ionna provided looks like a bit of a cross between a Sonic drive-in and a Starbucks. But that’s kind of the point. It’s a covered place to use the 10 Ionna fast chargers—which come in both Tesla North American Charging Standard (NACS) and typical CCS forms—while you take a quick break in a clean, nice place with some lovely amenities. The ports will be capable of up to 400 kW fast charging and 800 volts, so they’ll work with the fastest of the fast. 

“The site will host an indoor driver’s lounge, offering secure access to bathrooms, coffee service, food/beverage, and WiFi to relax or work while your vehicle charges,” Ionna officials said in a news release. “Additionally, outdoor and pet-friendly amenities will be just a few steps away.”

Ionna doesn’t yet say how many of these are Rechargeries are coming. But as the company plans “30,000 ultra-fast- and-reliable charging points by 2030,” more are certainly expected soon. 

What amenities do you think a charging station should have as we enter the next decade?

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