General Motors announced a new Dealer Community Charging Program to install up to 40,000 Level 2 electric vehicle chargers across the United States and Canada.
The OEM and its dealers will work together to expand access to charging in local communities—including in underserved, rural, and urban areas where EV charging access can be limited to drivers. GM also announced that its new line of three Ultium-branded Level 2 smart charging stations (for home or commercial options) will be available to customers through dealerships and online.
“These two initiatives are part of our plan to put everyone in an EV, making access to charging even more seamless than before,” said GM President Mark Reuss, adding that they “want to give customers the right tools and access to charging where and when they need it, while working with our dealer network to accelerate the expansion of accessible charging throughout the U.S. and Canada.”
The Dealer Community Charging Program will officially begin in 2022 and is part of GM’s commitment to invest nearly $750 million to expand home, workplace, and public charging infrastructure.
The OEM will work with its dealers to deploy Level 2 charging stations in certain “key” locations in each dealership community. This includes workplaces, multi-unit dwellings, sports and entertainment venues, college and universities, and more. The chargers will be available to all EV drivers, not just GM EV owners.
As for its Ultium chargers, GM said it will include an 11.5 kilowatt/48-amp smart charger, an 11.5 kW/48-amp premium smart charger, and an 19.2 kW/80-amp premium smart charger.
“All three Ultium chargers are Energy Star Certified, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth,” said the OEM in a news release. “Each charger features dynamic load balancing and can be upgraded over time through over-the-air updates with automatic download capabilities.”
Its first Ultium chargers will ship in early 2022.
