It’s going to be a bit easier to charge your electric vehicle (EV) starting next year.
General Motors has announced plans to install up to 40,000 EV chargers around the U.S. And Canada starting in 2022. The automaker says it plans to expand charging access in local communities, including underserved, rural, and urban areas.
GM plans to work with dealers to determine the best locations for the “level 2” charging stations, which can top up a car battery in a couple hours. The company said it would prioritize areas including workplaces, multi-unit dwellings, sports and entertainment venues and college and universities.
“We 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, including in underserved, rural and urban areas,” said GM President Mark Reuss in a statement.
Charging stations are quickly becoming a battleground for companies. They are competing to add thousands of chargers across the country at shopping malls and along interstate highways. Even the government wants to add 500,000 charging stations coast to coast.
How companies can profit from these stations is, at present, still largely unclear. One possible way is to charge drivers for powering up by the minute or the kilowatt-hour (kWh). Another is by turning chargers into ad billboards with large screens. And yet another is to get businesses to pay for charging equipment to be installed on their property as a way to attract more customers.
The push comes as electric vehicles become more readily available—and more automakers are transitioning their business model away from gasoline-powered cars. By 2025, more than 1 million EVs are expected to be sold annually in the U.S. By 2030, that’s expected to hit 3 million, according to Platts Analytics.
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