Beginning in 2022, General Motors (GM) will work with its network of dealerships to deploy 40,000 Level 2 EV chargers in the US and Canada. Each dealership will receive ten new Ultium chargers and decide where to install them in their local communities.
The “community charging program,” as the automaker calls it, is the first step in GM’s plan to invest $750 million in EV charging infrastructure. While this may not be the same scale of financial commitment as Tesla, it does show that GM thinks holistically about EV ownership. The charging stations will be available to all EV drivers, not just those who purchase a GM EV.
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While 40,000 is certainly a lot of chargers, they aren’t exactly the fastest. It takes about eight hours to charge an EV with a Level 2 charger fully. So, you’d be lucky to have one near where you park during the day or close to home for overnight charging. It may be worth reaching out to your local GM dealership if you know of a good spot to station one. After all, nearly 90% of the US population lives within 10 miles of a GM dealership.
Own your Ultium
GM will be making its Ultium Level 2 chargers available to consumers, expected to ship early next year. Although there’s no official price tag on the GM EV chargers, customers will be able to roll the cost into their GM lease or contract.
GM’s family of Ultium Chargers will include:
- An 11.5 kilowatt/48-amp smart charger
- An 11.5 kW/48-amp premium smart charger
- A 19.2 kW/80-amp premium smart charger
Each unit will have a 240-volt connection and add between 12 and 37 miles of range per hour. The two premium models include a customizable touchscreen and an embedded camera. Through GM’s Ultium Charge 360 app, you’ll be able to manage data the charger status or set a charging schedule.