Ionna, the fast-charging network backed by eight major automakers, has more than doubled its US stations this year, jumping from 90 active sites in January to 191 at the start of October, and expects to cut the ribbon on its 200th location this month. The company is preparing to train dealership staff at a few hundred locations beginning in early 2027.
The training program will operate at dealers selling cars from Ionna's investors: Toyota, Honda, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis. The goal is to help salespeople confidently explain how to charge an electric vehicle, a step the chief executive says is essential to broader adoption.
Ionna remains far smaller than Tesla, which operates more than 3,000 US stations, but it has focused on pairing chargers with amenities such as restrooms, lounges and convenience stores. JD Power ranked its stations the best fast-charging experience in the country in 2026. Walmart is also rapidly building out its own network, with roughly 300 locations under construction.
