General Motors Aims to Accelerate EV Adoption

The 2,700 fast chargers will be placed at high-traffic areas and will be powered by renewable energy.

The EVgo fast charging stations will offer 100-350-kilowatt capabilities to meet the needs of new EVs coming to market.

General Motors is teaming with EVgo to triple the size of the nation’s largest public fast charging network by adding 2,700 fast chargers over the next five years.

The companies will add fast charging stations in cities and suburbs, providing increased access to drivers who live in multi-unit homes, rent or who can’t install chargers.

“We know how important the charging ecosystem is for drivers, one that includes access to convenient and reliable public fast charging. Our relationship with EVgo will bolster the public fast charging network available to EV customers ahead of increased market demand and reinforce our commitment to an all-electric, zero-emissions future,” said Mary Barra, GM chairman and CEO.

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The fast chargers will be placed at high-traffic areas, such as grocery stores, retail outlets and entertainment centers — similar sites to EVgo’s current 800 stations. The new stations, which will be powered by renewable energy, will be available starting in early 2021 and will be able to charge at least four vehicles simultaneously. The stations will feature new charging technology with 100-350-kilowatt capabilities to meet the needs of an increasingly powerful set of EVs coming to market.

Earlier this year, General Motors committed to having all U.S. plants running on renewable energy by 2030 and all global plants running on renewable energy by 2040.

GM’s strategy is to build a flexible global EV platform powered by proprietary Ultium batteries, allowing the company to compete in every market category, from affordable transportation to luxury vehicles to work trucks. To that goal, the company is unveiling today its Cadillac LYRIQ, the luxury brand’s first fully electric vehicle. Earlier this year, GM announced that its Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant will be its first plant that is 100 percent devoted to electric vehicles and that it would start building the GMC Hummer EV in fall 2021.

General Motors builds the GMC Acadia, Holden Acadia and Cadillac XT-5 and XT-6 at its Spring Hill, Tennessee plant. In addition, the 7.9 million-square-foot plant builds multiple engines to power a wide range of GM, Chevrolet and Cadillac models. The Spring Hill facility is currently undergoing an $40 million expansion that will allow the facility to increase capacity of the 5.3L V8 engines for GM’s full-size truck and SUV programs.

GM also makes the Corvette in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the only plant in the world to make the brand’s iconic vehicle. And in Arlington, Texas, GM makes the Yukon and Yukon XL, the Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, and the Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe.

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