GM to install up to 40,000 community electric car charging stations

Right now, General Motors is about to launch a new wave of electric vehicles. In order to ensure that its cars can perform in the best way, the automaker wants charging infrastructure ready to support them. That’s why the company launched a community charging initiative.

The program consists of installing up to 40,000 level 2 charging stations in North America. Dealers will be able to receive up to 10 chargers from the company which they can then install in key locations in their neighborhood. This can include apartments, universities and businesses.

While this is a GM-specific initiative, the charging stations will not be intended solely for owners of GM electric cars.

Several models planned

According to reports, EV owners will also be able to purchase chargers directly from dealerships or online.

Three types of charger are planned. The former is a base 11.5 kW / 48 amp model, while the latter is a premium version of the former, with touchscreen and camera. The third is a more powerful 19.2kW / 80 amp model.

This program is part of a larger investment of $ 750 million in the Ultium Charge 360. Its launch is scheduled for 2022.

A plus for home charging

The small downside compared to the initiative is the choice of chargers to use. Indeed, level 2 charging stations are known to be slower than Tesla superchargers or Electrify America’s fast stations. The level 2 charger is therefore suitable for home use where overnight charging is more suitable.

On the other hand, since chargers are not fast enough, dealers will likely want to place multiple chargers in one place to avoid long queues.

The community program is still good news, especially for drivers who only need to charge for their daily commute. For people who live in apartments, it is almost impossible to charge their car at home. In this case, the presence of charging stations in these buildings could make electric cars more practical.