General Motors to Install 40,000 Level-2 EV Charging Stations in North America as Part of its New ‘Dealer Community Charging Program'

author: Eric Walz   

As part of its Dealer Community Charging Program, GM is giving each of its EV dealers up to 10 Ultium Level-2 destination charging stations.

To support General Motors' bold commitment to electrification, the automaker wants to make it easier for customers to access charging. So today, General Motors (GM) announced a new "Dealer Community Charging Program" to install up to 40,000 Level 2 EV chargers across the U.S. and Canada in communities where GM dealers are located.

As part of the Dealer Community Charging Program, GM 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 is often lacking, but a GM dealer is nearby.

The automaker says that areas without adequate EV charging infrastructure still exist in many urban and rural areas, which is a hurdle to the widespread adoption of EVs. GM is essentially tapping its vast network of over 4,000 dealers to help expand charging options for its future EV customers.

As part of its Dealer Community Charging Program, GM is giving each of its EV dealers up to 10 Ultium Level 2 destination charging stations. GM will also assist dealers in deploying the chargers at key locations throughout their local communities. 

Through GM's Ultium Charge 360 EV charging ecosystem, the automaker says it will work with policymakers, community leaders and industry groups to deploy charging stations or infrastructure faster and improve access for those that might not be able to install charging equipment at their homes.

GM said it will work with its dealers to deploy the Ultium charging stations (EVSE) at a variety of locations, including workplaces, multi-unit apartment buildings, sports and entertainment venues and colleges and universities.

GM will also help dealers apply for local incentives and other funding to help with the installation of the EV chargers.

The initiative begins in 2022 and is part of GM's recently announced commitment to invest nearly $750 million to expand home, workplace and public charging infrastructure through Ultium Charge 360 ecosystem.

Unlike Tesla's Supercharger network, GM's public charging stations will be available to all EV customers, not just drivers of GM's electric vehicles.

For GM the plan makes sense, since its already has an established dealer network throughout North America. The automaker says that nearly 90% of the U.S. population lives within 10 miles of a GM dealership.

The company also announced that three Ultium-branded Level 2 smart charging stations will be offered to customers through dealerships and online to provide more home or commercial charging options.

"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. "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."

GM's future EVs will integrate with major EV charging networks to help simplify the charging experience for cusotmers. Drivers will be able to find stations along a route and initiate and pay for charging all through their GM vehicle mobile apps. GM customers can access nearly 85,000 charging spots throughout the U.S. and Canada.

The "Ultium" brand name of GM's all-new EV platform, propulsion components and charging ecosystem will soon expand to include a family of three Ultium Chargers for residential and commercial use developed with leading vehicle charging specialist CTEK.

The Ultium Chargers will include an 11.5 kilowatt/48-amp smart charger, 11.5 kW/48-amp premium smart charger and a 19.2 kW/80-amp premium smart charger. The two premium models include a customizable touchscreen and an embedded camera.

All three Ultium chargers are Energy Star Certified, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. Each charger features dynamic load balancing and can be upgraded over time through over-the-air software updates with automatic download capabilities. 

GM customers will be able to set their charging schedule, view statistics on their charging habits and historical charging sessions and receive charger status through the GM brand mobile apps.

To help offset the cost of installing a home charger, customers will be able to roll the price into their GM vehicle financing or leasing plans.

The Dealer Community Charging Program is part of the automakers massive investment in electrification. GM announced in June that its increasing its investments in electrification and autonomous driving technologies to $35 billion through 2025, as it plans for an all-electric future with dozens of new battery-powered models in the works, many with autonomous driving capabilities.

The automaker plans to phase out internal combustion engine models, including light-duty trucks and SUVs by 2035 in what will be a historic move for the company that has been building gas-powered vehicles since 1908.

Eric Walz

Originally hailing from New Jersey, Eric is a automotive & technology reporter covering the high-tech industry here in Silicon Valley. He has over 15 years of automotive experience and a bachelors degree in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the auto industry and beyond. He has worked at Uber on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology.