Ionna was really smart to do this soft opening and invite a ton of RUclipsrs. They are getting a lot of free publicity. (They also seemed to have all of their ducks in a row, so it was *good* free publicity.) I hope they meet their goals and actually manage to open a ton of these over the next few years.
Thanks Tom for a great video. I am rooting for all of the charging companies. I primarily use Electrify America which in the past year has up their game tremendously. So whether it’s EVGO or Tesla or Electrify America or ChargePoint I am rooting for all of them working together to make it a better experience. This is just one more way that we can enjoy our electric car driving experience. I love videos like this. I hope to make a road trip to visit one of the new locations I’m in Northern Virginia kind of midway between their Pennsylvania site coming online shortly and the Apex site. Keep up the good work.
@@robertbaxter2684 location is also key for charging find a Tesla station right off the freeway is opposed to modify America. We have to drive to a Walmart shopping center or shopping mall not acceptable.
Kudos to the layout design, for putting in an extra foot or two of space between each stall, for cars and trucks to pull in and out of. One of my gripes about Tesla superchargers is that it is usually a retrofit at existing parking spaces, and backing in, with the plug sticking out the side, does not leave much room or margin of error between one car and the next. You have to get out and in at least 2 or 3 times, to plug in, check things, go to the bathroom, get a snack, and unplug. With a winter coat on, people have a wide width, and you don’t want to brush up against the next car. Also, Ionnas test, compared to other CCS networks which have operated poorly, will be up time and charger status. If a charger is down, list it as unusable on the app in real time so that drivers can go elsewhere and not waste their time or get stuck calling a tow truck. Speaking of which, will station status be integrated into each cars GPS navigation system? One suggestion I have for Ionna is to install some slower level 2 chargers so that people can have a meeting in the conference room and not have meeting participants have to excuse themselves to remove their cars from a fast charger to avoid idle fees. Cheers to a new business venture! I wish all the success in the world to Ionna!
Another wonderful reporting of EV news. Thank you Tom! There’s so much to like about what we saw (clearly marked lanes and chargers, a covered facility, clean restrooms, vending machines, seating outside of the vehicle, and more) that it makes me hesitate to ask…….. there was so much talk about current charging stations in dark corners of parking lot or behind buildings that it makes me wonder where the lighting is at this rechargery. I did not pick out any light poles, nor did I see light fixtures under the awning. Possibly they are awaiting those items, or they are integrated under the awning, and I was unable to pick them out. I have been unable to find their app. I would like to have a way to know where facilities are planned and their anticipated opening dates. I’m also very interested about how cars lineup for next in position to charge. I couldn’t see it in the video and there was no mention of it. Pull through sites like normal gas stations seem to be most logical to me as a driver, but not really logical for business implementation. I really like a company that actively listens to their customers in an effort to better meet the customer’s needs. This is refreshing. I am most hopeful and will be sharing this reporting with my wife who is NOT sold on EVs, because of the lack of charging facilities and their poor reliability. Thanks again Tom.
This charging-event by Ionna was an absolutely BRILLIANT marketing move. For hardly any money, Ionna got tons of free PR (like this), plus a great stress-test of their new site. Hopefully Ionna can give Tesla some charging-competition.
Ha!!!! Hilarious. All of these manufacturers are still trying to catch Tesla, and you think by joining up, they're gonna win? Please. Let's see them scale (which is the hard part). This is ONE location.
Not a fan of Tesla. But have to admit that Tesla has made the superior choices for their DCFC network. But until the V4 rolls out, at least non Tesla DCFC networks will have a superior high voltage charging experience to offer. Be fun to see a few cybertrucks there.
Thank you for the complete overview of the soft open and your experience. 8:20 I sure hope they consider putting some fabric or other sound deadening materials in those meeting rooms. That echo is going to be pretty harsh for video calls or even phone calls.
I noticed that echo as well. Needs some sound deadening material on the ceiling and walls. I liked their concept. I can see places like this and larger for people to come and rest up while charging. Who likes to spend all their time in their cars waiting for the charge to finish.
Thanks Tom...great tour of this site here's hoping they do more of these and they put in security cameras with recording keeping say a week of footage for law enforcement should it be required.
Yes if they're installed in rest areas on interstate hwy's. Of course having local establishments are going to be nice, but being able to stay on the hwy without exiting to search for charging stations will eliminate the biggest road anxiety's in existence.
Thanks for driving down Tom. Their next NC location is in neighboring Johnston County (with a Garner, NC address). It’s an old gas station built in the early 90s when the last section of I-40 between Raleigh and Wilmington (the eastern ends of I-40) was completed. Back then I used to stop there to refuel on my way to college. That exit off I-40 is so busy the NC DOT recently converted it into a Diverging Diamond Interchange. It’s roughly 120 miles from the southeastern beaches of NC.
I was very skeptical of Ionna when I first heard about them, but after seeing this I am very excited to see what they can do in the next couple of years
Two comments, 1, Thanks for stepping up on charging. Rural America doesn't have many choices. Secondly I would encourage Pay at the Station, I don't travel often and find myself having my account go inactive which makes me start over each time. I would rather just pay at the pump.
This will absolutely be a game changer. Co-working space will make this what Starbucks used to be 😊 Safe spaces for EV drivers to recharge, refuel, rest, work, and host meets - hang
5 years ago you would not have expected brands like Kia, GM BWM, Mercedes and Honda to be working together. But guess they learned from Tesla they need to not just sell a car and be done but sell a car then make it easy to use. Modern EVs are great we have 71k miles on our 2022 Ioniq 5 with zero problem the only issues are finding good chargers on trips some are broken, full with a line or there isn't one where you need it. You buy a car that can take upto 240kw but are sitting at a 62kw chargepoint because it's working and available.
I like the dispensers to be all the same power output. Noted if they split power and how like 1A, 1B so customers know how to park. Ionna did a fantastic job by having a soft opening and allowing all brands of vehicles charge and use & test NACS to CCS1 adapters, and CCS1 to Tesla - J3400 adapters to make sure all work as they should. If Electrify America would do this they may have found problems in the beginning and corrected any problems. I bet this Ionna site will have high prices.😊. The more DC fast chargers the better. The market will adjust prices.
That is amazing news! It's surprising how little news there is available to EV drivers. I am preparing for my first trip to Galveston in my non- Tesla EV and I am taking both types of adapters, along with portable charging, just in case, now that my in-garage charging is up to par at 40 amps. It's encouraging that the future holds much for EV and perspective EV owners, and that advocates like Tom continue to spread the word.
Nice setup . Less of a feel being in some sketchy parking lot . Now is the standard layout for the other stations ? The key question that cant be answered today is reliability
Very impressive in many ways, except for some minor design flaws,. For example the canopy's vertical support elements( columns) and the bollards, could have been combined. By locating the vertical support element, near where the ballads are now. Not only would it be a more efficient and elegant design. It would have allowed the charging spaces to be extended for greater flexibility, which is now encumbered by the vertical support elements. Bringing it closer to a drive-thru experience, Useful for some edge case scenarios. Even with the long charging cable. (And it could have been also used as raceways for wiring for a PV solar roof, Which would be nice to see in future sites?) But what's truly paramount is that IONNA follows through on maintaining their facilities, especially the DCF Chargers. And make it a destination stop, by offering affordable mouth-watering food from innovative restaurateurs. (And maybe even a few non-EV charging parking spaces?) I wish them all the best.
I never really look at the station screen except to start it or to see how long I will be waiting for the car at the charger which is almost always. I usually use my car to tell me my state of charge (pardon the pun).
I’m a local to the Apex area and I was so upset I missed the soft opening! I visited today and it was amazing, definitely a nice reprieve from the cold!
Great stuff! There is a Common Man restaurant being built in Portsmouth NH that will have eight Tesla destination chargers and four CCS chargers. Glad to see more places like this happening!
Glad you were there! I'm encouraged by IONNA and hope its network rolls out quickly and reliably. I think the units need two displays, one for each cable. I liked hearing other owners' perspectives.
I don't know about the need for two screens. I'm at DC fast chargers a LOT, and I almost never see people looking at the screens - only the real EV geeks, like us. Ionna will have an app to monitor your charging and if you're sitting in the vehicle, you have access to a lot of info on the infotainment screen.
I am hopeful, but cautious. Hopefully we start to see these in more rural areas. So many charging deserts outside of major urban hubs. Even Tesla is sparse out here in the sticks.
One suggestion is add some kind of color indicator above the charger to show the state of charge of the EV being charged. Red for below 50%, yellow for 50-80%, blue for 80-100%, and green meaning charger is available . Similar to grocery store self checkout lanes. This will greatly help those who are waiting to know which charger is available next.
2 months from shovel In ground to opening is impressive. While all locations don’t need to be this fancy they also need to be easily accessible off highways
Wow, fuel an EV like any other vehicle has since 1905 and have a place to get out of the weather! ! I'm so glad iONNA is going build these across the US, but I cringe a bit at the pull in stalls, we need all of them to be pull through, so you can charge any vehicle no matter where the port is and also if you are towing a trailer! Don't mean to be critical, but this is really what needs to be done, add charging to existing fuel stations till all the gas pumps are gone.
In the earlier interview, it was stated that there will be varying layouts including some pull-through. When building into an existing site as was done here, real estate, and the layout of road junctions around the location, are going to dictate to some extent whether pull-through is possible. In this particular station, the old petrol pumps were at the front of the building (where the picnic tables are now) and that would have only allowed for two charging stations instead of 10 achieved by installing them out back.
I'm sure people using the chargery would love to have access to their charging stats after the session is done. For those with the (eventual) Ionna app, either make it available in the app or send it to the contact info on the account. For those using a credit card, ask someone if they want a post charge summary. If they do, let them enter an email address or phone number to receive a message after the session with either the details (including those graphs) or a link to view it. Maybe even save a hash of the CC number with the contact info so if a user goes to a station and uses the same card in the future they won't have to reenter the contact info.
I loved Kyle's video on this. I was waiting to see yours since you were there. It was nice you made pizzas for everyone!! I really like this style of charging facility and placement of it. We have a lot of right off highway charging spots for the road trippers (though more are always nice to have), but we definitely need more local in towns and cities charging. There is a perfect spot for one of these near my house in a north suburb of Indy. There are a ton of hotels around. People come from all over the country for sports at a facility nearby. Plus, with all the apartments around as well, those residents can have a place to charge.
We will have to see about Ionna. We have heard of grandiose plans from many CPOs in the past that didn't make it what they claimed. EA, Rivian (claimed 600 locations by now and it is 105 last count), Ford (every dealer to have them), etc. BTW latest count for Tesla in US is 29,641 stalls now at 2,510 locations. If that anywhere near that in the next 5 years it will be impressive.
EA has hit all of its projected targets regarding the number of stations and plugs, station reliability has been its biggest complaint. Rivian is a startup with limited funding so I'm not surprised it hasn't hit its initial projections. These eight companies combined can bankroll a network like this without flinching, so money isn't going to be a problem. I believe they can hit 30K charging stalls in 5 years if they execute properly and aren't equipment constrained (transformers, chargers, etc).
@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney Rivian is no mom and pops company- it had had 13.5 billion dollar IPO, 6 billion from VW, 6 billion loan from the Gov. and more. Yet they missed their targets. Still for all of this, Tesla still will beat this conglomeration of companies.
Comparing Tesla’s (and the existing legacy networks like EA) network to this is a mistake. It’s the same mistake that compares luxury EV SUVs to Model Y’s in every video. Ionna is not building sites, they’re building experiences. Last I checked, Tesla doesn’t own and operate semi-automated convenience stores at their Supercharger sites. In other words, it’s a different business model and strategic ambition.
The difference is that EA was a result of a manufacturer being forced to build them -- VW and dieselgate. Rivian is a startup which doesn't have the funds to ramp up quickly. It takes tens of billions just to start a seccessful automobile company and stay afloat (Tesla got those tens billions from smart investors and their stock shooting up so quickly). And Ford and GM are... well, Ford and GM. No one in the know expected much from them. Especially not at dealerships which could not care less about EV's. This is different in that it's 8 major auto manufacturers with billions to through at it and has the advantage of having seen what has worked and what hasn't. They see how Tesla does it successfully and makes billions at it vs how EA fails at keeping up with their chargers and how few stalls they install per site which has led to their very poor reputation. So there's more hope for this one.
They put the chargers along the edge of the parking lot. If they were down the middle of the driveway they could have made the charge stations pull through. Then if there is a line you could pull up behind the vehicle charging and be next. the app could tell you which station is at the highest % and likely to open up next to help you decide which line to get in.
This is so exciting to me! I love the retro-future design of the charger cabs, the canopy over the spots (this should honestly be standard for all!!) and the rechargery cafe lounge restroom area! I also think they’ve done well by making tap to pay a default option so people can just charge and not have to make an account when they’re on a road trip. I just have a PHEV with J1772 (no CCS) so these units are currently useless to me BUT I’m excited for this roll out still the same. It’ll mean more reliable charger and rest stop access for me when I get a full BEV in 2028-2030 time range
Staten Island is a CCS desert! 500,000 mostly car dependent residents, and 2 government owned CCS chargers that are sometimes available to the public after hours in a large vacant lot miles away from any services
The Toyota bZ4X stands out for its DC fast charging capability, which allows for speedy recharges at public charging stations such as Ionna's. It's an ideal partner for charging advances.
Tom, great video. Any update on session late fees, congestion fees if car is above 85% SoC if site is busy (more than 50% full?), Apple CarPlay integration with (eventual) app to know site availability prior to arriving?
I really wanted to drive my Polestar 2 up there from Miami, I just couldn't find the time. Did you happen to see any Polestars charging there? I haven't seen any in any of the footage I've seen from the event. Thanks for sharing this, it certainly seems that the DCFC scene in the US is headed in the right direction now!
One suggestion: on the DCFC charging dashboard, display instantaneous power, average power (=energy_delivered/time) and peak power for a session. This will allow users to learn which vehicles have better charging performance, which stations deliver full power requested by cars, etc.
Hi Tom: Thanks for sharing. Somewhat unrelated but still along the charging experience......what route did you take to and from NJ to Apex, NC in your Lightning and which EV networks and stops along the way and any issues? I just did an upstate SC to Cocoa Beach FL return trip in my Mustang Extended Range using only NACS (A2Z adapter) and while stalls were available for the most part, I had to take up 2 stalls on most of the stops:( and got some looks from some Tesla drivers
Good Job!! They really seem to be doing it the right way with this! Good ideas all around! Actually the video game is a cheap way they can get people to come back to their charger!
The recipe is fairly simple. First, the chargers need to always work instead of being offline or broken. Charging stations are so few and far between that when you need one, you need it. The horrible upkeep of current charge stations really needs to change. Hoping this company is a step in the right direction. Also need pull through stations so we don't have to unhook trailers. While EV aren't very good for larger trailers, many of us tow smaller trailers (3,000lb enclosed trailer with ATVs, dirtbikes, etc.) or fishing boats and we need pull through stations. And, more stations that are not in the larger cities. Need stations along sections of highways between cities. And level 2 destination chargers at lake/reservoir boat launches, some larger and more popular trailheads (mtb, hiking, etc.) where our rigs are parked for a number of hours and can slow charge because there are few, to no, fast chargers along the roads to get there or get home.
The only problem I have with public charging is the ridiculous cost at some stations. Makes me wonder if they could make a power output selection that is like 87,89,93 octane at the pump. Have like 100kw,200kw and 300kw that would be price adjusted. I know that's not how electricity works but it's something that might work especially with how time off peak systems work they can see draw and lower the cost if the draw is lower. It looks promising what they are doing. I hope they are a serious competitor to everyone else and makes every other charger that's non Tesla step up their game
"The only problem I have with public charging is the ridiculous cost at some stations" That's a common and easy refrain to have for non-Investors. And I'm not a fan of Tesla in general, but its DCFC strategy has been superior (except for higher voltage EVs) including their variable cost to pricing model.and their distributive power strategy... Should be mirrored and expounded on by the DCFC industry IMHO.... Or maybe that's just the BS of my economics and engineering degree doing the talking ;)
There are a number of charging sites in Quebec with different power capabilities and the rates vary accordingly. If you charge on a 50kW machine, the rate per kWh is lower than on a 180kW or 350kW machine. Also, if you are on a higher powered machine, the rate per kWh changes up or down depending on the output. I've used one machine on this network (Circuit Electrique) that was rated for 180kW. First time, I pulled various levels of power, slowing the rate as expected the more fully charged the battery and was charged lower rates on slower charging speeds. Second time I used the machine, it was much colder, so I did not attain the fastest speed I'd gotten at the previous session (though I'm still a bit unsure why). Instead, I got a ruler-flat speed one kW below the rate rate change (basically saving 10 cents per kWh). Took a few extra minutes but I roughly saved about 8 bucks. So it's certainly possible to programmed the chargers to vary their rates (perhaps even make them self-selecting if they don't want physically different machines).
EA really has to be feeling the heat now. They can no longer keep leaving their stations in disrepair for weeks or months. No more derating. No more cable issues. Because not only is the Supercharger network opening to all, and 500kW chargers are coming this year to V4 stall sites, but now IONNA is joining the game big time. The same goes for EVgo. They need to ditch those unreliable chargers they use and go with either Alpitronic or Kempower. Both they and EA need to. No more half-ass chargers from vendors with a long history of manufacturing unreliable chargers. Go with what works. All the time. And step up their game with fast maintenance service or go under.
Looks great only hope the future inatalls have 20+ stalls in California Tesla wipes the floor with 150+ stall locations and it’s basically impossible to road trip other vehicles (that either charge slow in tesla until v4 or don’t have access) during holidays due to lines.
Best to be primarily built for current demand but with easy, fast and cost effective expandability built in.... Such as by initially having excess capacity and easy access predug-trenches for daisychaining or fishing additional wiring... (which also makes repairability of the high capacity wiring more cost effective) Which will also takes advantage of improving DCFC
Alpi skimped out with the non-touch screens and they didn't add a second screen? Edit - I didn't mean to nitpick so I hope individual screens becomes a future option just like gas stations. iONNA looks amazing and Seth seems like a cool dude.
Maybe it's a takeoff from the Ionity name that is used in Europe. (VW is part of Ionity but isn't part of Ionna.) Too bad, I like the Ionity name more, but I suppose with the list of partners being different, the name had to be different!
It's not a great set up to have the screen only on the A side. That means some people on the B side will have to find the screen, and will have to go into A's space. Having the screen on the front would make a lot more sense, or it would be even better if they had two screens.
I don’t even own an EV and I am excited for this company to succeed.
Love the retro gas station colours and graphics
Ionna was really smart to do this soft opening and invite a ton of RUclipsrs. They are getting a lot of free publicity. (They also seemed to have all of their ducks in a row, so it was *good* free publicity.) I hope they meet their goals and actually manage to open a ton of these over the next few years.
Thank you so much for coming Tom! It was great to have you making some awesome pizza
Amazing how fast they got this site operational. I hope they are very successful.
It’s very refreshing to see this collaboration in bringing EV charging stations to the masses.
Thanks for all your great work! Looking forward to more charging locations that aren’t in a dark corner of a Walmart parking lot.
Thanks for inviting me, Tom, it was a great experience. It was also encouraging that so many people had good charging experiences!
Thanks Tom for a great video. I am rooting for all of the charging companies. I primarily use Electrify America which in the past year has up their game tremendously. So whether it’s EVGO or Tesla or Electrify America or ChargePoint I am rooting for all of them working together to make it a better experience. This is just one more way that we can enjoy our electric car driving experience. I love videos like this. I hope to make a road trip to visit one of the new locations I’m in Northern Virginia kind of midway between their Pennsylvania site coming online shortly and the Apex site. Keep up the good work.
@@robertbaxter2684 location is also key for charging find a Tesla station right off the freeway is opposed to modify America. We have to drive to a Walmart shopping center or shopping mall not acceptable.
Very interesting... hope they progress rapidly with quality installations!
Kudos to the layout design, for putting in an extra foot or two of space between each stall, for cars and trucks to pull in and out of. One of my gripes about Tesla superchargers is that it is usually a retrofit at existing parking spaces, and backing in, with the plug sticking out the side, does not leave much room or margin of error between one car and the next. You have to get out and in at least 2 or 3 times, to plug in, check things, go to the bathroom, get a snack, and unplug. With a winter coat on, people have a wide width, and you don’t want to brush up against the next car. Also, Ionnas test, compared to other CCS networks which have operated poorly, will be up time and charger status. If a charger is down, list it as unusable on the app in real time so that drivers can go elsewhere and not waste their time or get stuck calling a tow truck. Speaking of which, will station status be integrated into each cars GPS navigation system? One suggestion I have for Ionna is to install some slower level 2 chargers so that people can have a meeting in the conference room and not have meeting participants have to excuse themselves to remove their cars from a fast charger to avoid idle fees. Cheers to a new business venture! I wish all the success in the world to Ionna!
I am very happy to hear somebody talk about EVERY THING IS GOING ELECTRIC VERY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT!!!
Another wonderful reporting of EV news. Thank you Tom!
There’s so much to like about what we saw (clearly marked lanes and chargers, a covered facility, clean restrooms, vending machines, seating outside of the vehicle, and more) that it makes me hesitate to ask…….. there was so much talk about current charging stations in dark corners of parking lot or behind buildings that it makes me wonder where the lighting is at this rechargery. I did not pick out any light poles, nor did I see light fixtures under the awning. Possibly they are awaiting those items, or they are integrated under the awning, and I was unable to pick them out.
I have been unable to find their app.
I would like to have a way to know where facilities are planned and their anticipated opening dates.
I’m also very interested about how cars lineup for next in position to charge. I couldn’t see it in the video and there was no mention of it. Pull through sites like normal gas stations seem to be most logical to me as a driver, but not really logical for business implementation.
I really like a company that actively listens to their customers in an effort to better meet the customer’s needs. This is refreshing.
I am most hopeful and will be sharing this reporting with my wife who is NOT sold on EVs, because of the lack of charging facilities and their poor reliability.
Thanks again Tom.
Ionna's website does list the planned locations for a few of their chargers.
This charging-event by Ionna was an absolutely BRILLIANT marketing move. For hardly any money, Ionna got tons of free PR (like this), plus a great stress-test of their new site. Hopefully Ionna can give Tesla some charging-competition.
Ha!!!! Hilarious. All of these manufacturers are still trying to catch Tesla, and you think by joining up, they're gonna win? Please. Let's see them scale (which is the hard part). This is ONE location.
Not a fan of Tesla. But have to admit that Tesla has made the superior choices for their DCFC network. But until the V4 rolls out, at least non Tesla DCFC networks will have a superior high voltage charging experience to offer. Be fun to see a few cybertrucks there.
Clearly, Tesla rules the charging world, and until today all their US competition stinks. If Ionna can reliably scale, then everybody wins.
@@profwilliams2772 waiting for the next time Elon fires the entire recharging team.
Tom great video. This will be a game changer since the offer more stalls and 24 x 7 amenities vs driving up to a Walmart shopping center .
What would be a game changer is the outlaw the overused meaningless term, game changer ;)
Thanks Tom, for a very good comprehensive report on the Ionna system. Looks great! Cant wait to try one here in NorCal!
Thank you for the complete overview of the soft open and your experience.
8:20 I sure hope they consider putting some fabric or other sound deadening materials in those meeting rooms. That echo is going to be pretty harsh for video calls or even phone calls.
I noticed that echo as well. Needs some sound deadening material on the ceiling and walls. I liked their concept. I can see places like this and larger for people to come and rest up while charging. Who likes to spend all their time in their cars waiting for the charge to finish.
It was so nice meeting you
Great video as always, Tom! Congratulations Seth and the entire IONNA team!
It was a pleasure meeting you in apex. Best I got on 5b was 109kw. This was around 1245pm. Loved the station and idea. Ioniq5 sel.
Thanks for the tour. These stations look brilliant. I can’t wait to see some around me.
Just around the corner from us! Who knew. So cool. 🐾🐾
Thanks Tom...great tour of this site here's hoping they do more of these and they put in security cameras with recording keeping say a week of footage for law enforcement should it be required.
Yes if they're installed in rest areas on interstate hwy's.
Of course having local establishments are going to be nice, but being able to stay on the hwy without exiting to search for charging stations will eliminate the biggest road anxiety's in existence.
Thanks for driving down Tom. Their next NC location is in neighboring Johnston County (with a Garner, NC address). It’s an old gas station built in the early 90s when the last section of I-40 between Raleigh and Wilmington (the eastern ends of I-40) was completed. Back then I used to stop there to refuel on my way to college. That exit off I-40 is so busy the NC DOT recently converted it into a Diverging Diamond Interchange. It’s roughly 120 miles from the southeastern beaches of NC.
So does IONNA have a map showing where they plan on locations? Didn't see one on their website.
I was very skeptical of Ionna when I first heard about them, but after seeing this I am very excited to see what they can do in the next couple of years
Two comments, 1, Thanks for stepping up on charging. Rural America doesn't have many choices. Secondly I would encourage Pay at the Station, I don't travel often and find myself having my account go inactive which makes me start over each time. I would rather just pay at the pump.
When they get the air pump installed that will be a great travel stop. Might want to have some washer fluid available in the store.
This will absolutely be a game changer. Co-working space will make this what Starbucks used to be 😊
Safe spaces for EV drivers to recharge, refuel, rest, work, and host meets - hang
Thank you for spreading this great news!
Love to see updates on Ionna and how they are progressing to hitting 30,000 charge points in 2030!
5 years ago you would not have expected brands like Kia, GM BWM, Mercedes and Honda to be working together. But guess they learned from Tesla they need to not just sell a car and be done but sell a car then make it easy to use. Modern EVs are great we have 71k miles on our 2022 Ioniq 5 with zero problem the only issues are finding good chargers on trips some are broken, full with a line or there isn't one where you need it. You buy a car that can take upto 240kw but are sitting at a 62kw chargepoint because it's working and available.
Its about time someone started this. Super glad that this is happening…
I like the dispensers to be all the same power output. Noted if they split power and how like 1A, 1B so customers know how to park. Ionna did a fantastic job by having a soft opening and allowing all brands of vehicles charge and use & test NACS to CCS1 adapters, and CCS1 to Tesla - J3400 adapters to make sure all work as they should. If Electrify America would do this they may have found problems in the beginning and corrected any problems. I bet this Ionna site will have high prices.😊. The more DC fast chargers the better. The market will adjust prices.
That is amazing news! It's surprising how little news there is available to EV drivers. I am preparing for my first trip to Galveston in my non- Tesla EV and I am taking both types of adapters, along with portable charging, just in case, now that my in-garage charging is up to par at 40 amps. It's encouraging that the future holds much for EV and perspective EV owners, and that advocates like Tom continue to spread the word.
Top off near League City. Fast charging is non-existent in Galveston. Insane that the terminus of a major Interstate has no L3.
Great job Tom as always!! New Jersey needs Ionna!!!
Nice setup . Less of a feel being in some sketchy parking lot . Now is the standard layout for the other stations ? The key question that cant be answered today is reliability
Very impressive in many ways, except for some minor design flaws,.
For example the canopy's vertical support elements( columns) and the bollards, could have been combined. By locating the vertical support element, near where the ballads are now. Not only would it be a more efficient and elegant design. It would have allowed the charging spaces to be extended for greater flexibility, which is now encumbered by the vertical support elements. Bringing it closer to a drive-thru experience, Useful for some edge case scenarios. Even with the long charging cable. (And it could have been also used as raceways for wiring for a PV solar roof, Which would be nice to see in future sites?)
But what's truly paramount is that IONNA follows through on maintaining their facilities, especially the DCF Chargers. And make it a destination stop, by offering affordable mouth-watering food from innovative restaurateurs. (And maybe even a few non-EV charging parking spaces?) I wish them all the best.
I never really look at the station screen except to start it or to see how long I will be waiting for the car at the charger which is almost always. I usually use my car to tell me my state of charge (pardon the pun).
Looking forward to Iona making a splash across the Canadian prairies!
Or Northern Ontario
It would be awesome if they'd come to west central Illinois! We have a charging desert from Peoria, IL to Burlington, IA. It's really frustrating.
Your share is fantastic! It's informative and insightful. I've gained a lot from it.
Thank you, looks like an incredible day!
Always appreciate your videos, thanks. Say hey to Pete. Long time Vanilla Fudge fan!
I’m a local to the Apex area and I was so upset I missed the soft opening! I visited today and it was amazing, definitely a nice reprieve from the cold!
The charging curve screen is rad! I've never seen that out in the wild.
I've seen this on the Red E chargers I have used in Michigan. And it is really nice.
ZEF chargers offer that, there's even a QR code to scan if you don't have their app.
I spotted myself several times in this video haha I love it. Thanks for bringing the pizza Tom!
Great stuff! There is a Common Man restaurant being built in Portsmouth NH that will have eight Tesla destination chargers and four CCS chargers. Glad to see more places like this happening!
Glad you were there! I'm encouraged by IONNA and hope its network rolls out quickly and reliably. I think the units need two displays, one for each cable. I liked hearing other owners' perspectives.
I don't know about the need for two screens. I'm at DC fast chargers a LOT, and I almost never see people looking at the screens - only the real EV geeks, like us. Ionna will have an app to monitor your charging and if you're sitting in the vehicle, you have access to a lot of info on the infotainment screen.
I really hope they get/do more pull through sites!
I am hopeful, but cautious. Hopefully we start to see these in more rural areas. So many charging deserts outside of major urban hubs. Even Tesla is sparse out here in the sticks.
We need more charging stations
One suggestion is add some kind of color indicator above the charger to show the state of charge of the EV being charged. Red for below 50%, yellow for 50-80%, blue for 80-100%, and green meaning charger is available . Similar to grocery store self checkout lanes. This will greatly help those who are waiting to know which charger is available next.
Ty for the video. keep up the nice work.
2 months from shovel
In ground to opening is impressive. While all locations don’t need to be this fancy they also need to be easily accessible off highways
Wow, fuel an EV like any other vehicle has since 1905 and have a place to get out of the weather! ! I'm so glad iONNA is going build these across the US, but I cringe a bit at the pull in stalls, we need all of them to be pull through, so you can charge any vehicle no matter where the port is and also if you are towing a trailer! Don't mean to be critical, but this is really what needs to be done, add charging to existing fuel stations till all the gas pumps are gone.
In the earlier interview, it was stated that there will be varying layouts including some pull-through. When building into an existing site as was done here, real estate, and the layout of road junctions around the location, are going to dictate to some extent whether pull-through is possible. In this particular station, the old petrol pumps were at the front of the building (where the picnic tables are now) and that would have only allowed for two charging stations instead of 10 achieved by installing them out back.
There are over 20,000 abandoned gas stations in the USA. IONNA should use those.
I'm sure people using the chargery would love to have access to their charging stats after the session is done. For those with the (eventual) Ionna app, either make it available in the app or send it to the contact info on the account. For those using a credit card, ask someone if they want a post charge summary. If they do, let them enter an email address or phone number to receive a message after the session with either the details (including those graphs) or a link to view it. Maybe even save a hash of the CC number with the contact info so if a user goes to a station and uses the same card in the future they won't have to reenter the contact info.
Looks great but I can't find the app in the App Store.
Have a great trip!
I loved Kyle's video on this. I was waiting to see yours since you were there. It was nice you made pizzas for everyone!!
I really like this style of charging facility and placement of it. We have a lot of right off highway charging spots for the road trippers (though more are always nice to have), but we definitely need more local in towns and cities charging.
There is a perfect spot for one of these near my house in a north suburb of Indy. There are a ton of hotels around. People come from all over the country for sports at a facility nearby. Plus, with all the apartments around as well, those residents can have a place to charge.
We will have to see about Ionna. We have heard of grandiose plans from many CPOs in the past that didn't make it what they claimed. EA, Rivian (claimed 600 locations by now and it is 105 last count), Ford (every dealer to have them), etc.
BTW latest count for Tesla in US is 29,641 stalls now at 2,510 locations. If that anywhere near that in the next 5 years it will be impressive.
EA has hit all of its projected targets regarding the number of stations and plugs, station reliability has been its biggest complaint. Rivian is a startup with limited funding so I'm not surprised it hasn't hit its initial projections. These eight companies combined can bankroll a network like this without flinching, so money isn't going to be a problem. I believe they can hit 30K charging stalls in 5 years if they execute properly and aren't equipment constrained (transformers, chargers, etc).
@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney Rivian is no mom and pops company- it had had 13.5 billion dollar IPO, 6 billion from VW, 6 billion loan from the Gov. and more. Yet they missed their targets. Still for all of this, Tesla still will beat this conglomeration of companies.
Comparing Tesla’s (and the existing legacy networks like EA) network to this is a mistake. It’s the same mistake that compares luxury EV SUVs to Model Y’s in every video. Ionna is not building sites, they’re building experiences. Last I checked, Tesla doesn’t own and operate semi-automated convenience stores at their Supercharger sites.
In other words, it’s a different business model and strategic ambition.
The difference is that EA was a result of a manufacturer being forced to build them -- VW and dieselgate. Rivian is a startup which doesn't have the funds to ramp up quickly. It takes tens of billions just to start a seccessful automobile company and stay afloat (Tesla got those tens billions from smart investors and their stock shooting up so quickly). And Ford and GM are... well, Ford and GM. No one in the know expected much from them. Especially not at dealerships which could not care less about EV's.
This is different in that it's 8 major auto manufacturers with billions to through at it and has the advantage of having seen what has worked and what hasn't. They see how Tesla does it successfully and makes billions at it vs how EA fails at keeping up with their chargers and how few stalls they install per site which has led to their very poor reputation. So there's more hope for this one.
Too many cooks in the kitchen, plus wireless charging ???@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney
Everything looks great about this. Only criticism and I hope it was emphasized to them was to have the screen on both sides is a must
They put the chargers along the edge of the parking lot. If they were down the middle of the driveway they could have made the charge stations pull through. Then if there is a line you could pull up behind the vehicle charging and be next. the app could tell you which station is at the highest % and likely to open up next to help you decide which line to get in.
This is so exciting to me! I love the retro-future design of the charger cabs, the canopy over the spots (this should honestly be standard for all!!) and the rechargery cafe lounge restroom area! I also think they’ve done well by making tap to pay a default option so people can just charge and not have to make an account when they’re on a road trip.
I just have a PHEV with J1772 (no CCS) so these units are currently useless to me BUT I’m excited for this roll out still the same. It’ll mean more reliable charger and rest stop access for me when I get a full BEV in 2028-2030 time range
I wonder if using solar panels for the canopy is something they are looking into for future installations?
And for the record Tom - my trip down was 391 miles…😬
Cool! Wondering now if my Tesla can be convinced to consider Ionna stations along with Tesla ones in their trip planning software.
Can't wait for them to come to Florida down here
Staten Island is a CCS desert! 500,000 mostly car dependent residents, and 2 government owned CCS chargers that are sometimes available to the public after hours in a large vacant lot miles away from any services
Priorities: locations (how many), reliability(fraction available), power cost ($/kWh). Amenities are cake frosting. Good luck on it all.
The Toyota bZ4X stands out for its DC fast charging capability, which allows for speedy recharges at public charging stations such as Ionna's. It's an ideal partner for charging advances.
Love your humour.
Do you know if there are any plans to open up in the midwest... ( i57,i55 corridors )
Of course. The plan is to be nationwide
Tom, great video. Any update on session late fees, congestion fees if car is above 85% SoC if site is busy (more than 50% full?), Apple CarPlay integration with (eventual) app to know site availability prior to arriving?
Do they have NACS cables? And is it plug n charge like the Tesla chargers?
I really wanted to drive my Polestar 2 up there from Miami, I just couldn't find the time. Did you happen to see any Polestars charging there? I haven't seen any in any of the footage I've seen from the event. Thanks for sharing this, it certainly seems that the DCFC scene in the US is headed in the right direction now!
I enjoyed this event.. But I enjoyed that pizza the most :)
That reminds me of what to have for lunch.... Thanks
Are automatic spliter for one outlet to charge two EV’s are they safe? 😊
One suggestion: on the DCFC charging dashboard, display instantaneous power, average power (=energy_delivered/time) and peak power for a session. This will allow users to learn which vehicles have better charging performance, which stations deliver full power requested by cars, etc.
What do you call tailgating from the front?
Hi Tom: Thanks for sharing. Somewhat unrelated but still along the charging experience......what route did you take to and from NJ to Apex, NC in your Lightning and which EV networks and stops along the way and any issues? I just did an upstate SC to Cocoa Beach FL return trip in my Mustang Extended Range using only NACS (A2Z adapter) and while stalls were available for the most part, I had to take up 2 stalls on most of the stops:( and got some looks from some Tesla drivers
Good Job!! They really seem to be doing it the right way with this! Good ideas all around! Actually the video game is a cheap way they can get people to come back to their charger!
The recipe is fairly simple. First, the chargers need to always work instead of being offline or broken. Charging stations are so few and far between that when you need one, you need it. The horrible upkeep of current charge stations really needs to change. Hoping this company is a step in the right direction.
Also need pull through stations so we don't have to unhook trailers. While EV aren't very good for larger trailers, many of us tow smaller trailers (3,000lb enclosed trailer with ATVs, dirtbikes, etc.) or fishing boats and we need pull through stations.
And, more stations that are not in the larger cities. Need stations along sections of highways between cities. And level 2 destination chargers at lake/reservoir boat launches, some larger and more popular trailheads (mtb, hiking, etc.) where our rigs are parked for a number of hours and can slow charge because there are few, to no, fast chargers along the roads to get there or get home.
I would like to see preferential rates for vehicles that are represented by the OEMs behind IONNA
Do they accomodate trailers?
The only problem I have with public charging is the ridiculous cost at some stations. Makes me wonder if they could make a power output selection that is like 87,89,93 octane at the pump. Have like 100kw,200kw and 300kw that would be price adjusted. I know that's not how electricity works but it's something that might work especially with how time off peak systems work they can see draw and lower the cost if the draw is lower. It looks promising what they are doing. I hope they are a serious competitor to everyone else and makes every other charger that's non Tesla step up their game
"The only problem I have with public charging is the ridiculous cost at some stations" That's a common and easy refrain to have for non-Investors.
And I'm not a fan of Tesla in general, but its DCFC strategy has been superior (except for higher voltage EVs) including their variable cost to pricing model.and their distributive power strategy... Should be mirrored and expounded on by the DCFC industry IMHO....
Or maybe that's just the BS of my economics and engineering degree doing the talking ;)
There are a number of charging sites in Quebec with different power capabilities and the rates vary accordingly. If you charge on a 50kW machine, the rate per kWh is lower than on a 180kW or 350kW machine. Also, if you are on a higher powered machine, the rate per kWh changes up or down depending on the output. I've used one machine on this network (Circuit Electrique) that was rated for 180kW. First time, I pulled various levels of power, slowing the rate as expected the more fully charged the battery and was charged lower rates on slower charging speeds. Second time I used the machine, it was much colder, so I did not attain the fastest speed I'd gotten at the previous session (though I'm still a bit unsure why). Instead, I got a ruler-flat speed one kW below the rate rate change (basically saving 10 cents per kWh). Took a few extra minutes but I roughly saved about 8 bucks. So it's certainly possible to programmed the chargers to vary their rates (perhaps even make them self-selecting if they don't want physically different machines).
American will finally experience proper DC fast charging with the Alpitronic.
100%
EA really has to be feeling the heat now. They can no longer keep leaving their stations in disrepair for weeks or months. No more derating. No more cable issues.
Because not only is the Supercharger network opening to all, and 500kW chargers are coming this year to V4 stall sites, but now IONNA is joining the game big time.
The same goes for EVgo. They need to ditch those unreliable chargers they use and go with either Alpitronic or Kempower. Both they and EA need to. No more half-ass chargers from vendors with a long history of manufacturing unreliable chargers. Go with what works. All the time. And step up their game with fast maintenance service or go under.
This looks like a great idea for a recharge station. Are they planning changing stations at rest areas along the interstates?
Looks great only hope the future inatalls have 20+ stalls in California Tesla wipes the floor with 150+ stall locations and it’s basically impossible to road trip other vehicles (that either charge slow in tesla until v4 or don’t have access) during holidays due to lines.
Very promising. I just hope that future stations have at least 30+ recepticales if they are off major highways for road trippers
Best to be primarily built for current demand but with easy, fast and cost effective expandability built in....
Such as by initially having excess capacity and easy access predug-trenches for daisychaining or fishing additional wiring... (which also makes repairability of the high capacity wiring more cost effective)
Which will also takes advantage of improving DCFC
I hope this comes to Canada because I am very interested my next car will be Electric NOT "ICE"
They plan to
Well... It's Dec 27. What's going on with IONNA ?
Price per kw?
Any word about pricing?
They aren't ready to announce their pricing plans, but I was told they are aiming to be "competitive" with the other networks.
@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney I drive 30.000km/a and happy to pay more for a site with services like this one. Is like Business class charging.
Pitmasters claim they can tell the temps of what they’re cooking by touch. @bradenflasch were you checking cable temps at 18:07?
Alpi skimped out with the non-touch screens and they didn't add a second screen?
Edit - I didn't mean to nitpick so I hope individual screens becomes a future option just like gas stations. iONNA looks amazing and Seth seems like a cool dude.
I’m more excited about the IONNA/Sheetz partnership. I’d prefer those chargers but paired with a large, established convenience store.
Great Video. Where did the name Ionna come from?
Ions in North America
Maybe it's a takeoff from the Ionity name that is used in Europe. (VW is part of Ionity but isn't part of Ionna.) Too bad, I like the Ionity name more, but I suppose with the list of partners being different, the name had to be different!
It's not a great set up to have the screen only on the A side. That means some people on the B side will have to find the screen, and will have to go into A's space. Having the screen on the front would make a lot more sense, or it would be even better if they had two screens.
Tom, most important request. Can you tell us more about this pizza oven?
www.thecolumbiainn.com/pizza-ovens