Late last year, General Motors announced its Dealer Community Charging Program, designed to expand access to electric vehicle chargers. Since then, nearly 1,000 GM dealers have signed up for the program – about a quarter of all in North America. GM is offering participating dealers up to 10 Level 2 charging stations to install at key locations in their communities.
Wheelers Chevrolet GMC in Marshfield, Wisconsin was the first dealership to participate in the program. The concessionaire has installed chargers in the two area parks, a library and a sports complex. The young Chevrolet Cadillac has installed its first charging stations at the Memorial Healthcare Wellness Center in Owosso, Michigan.
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These are just the first as dealers in Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Ohio and Washington prepare to install theirs in the weeks and months to come. The program will be open to Buick, GMC and Cadillac dealerships in January.
The program is part of GM’s broader efforts to increase access to electric vehicle chargers. The automaker aims to install 40,000 Level 2 charging stations in the United States and Canada, doubling the number of public Level 2 charging stations. GM has selected FLO for its community charger program, with the company building the equipment in its first American factory located in Michigan.
According to the automaker, nearly 90 percent of the US population lives within 10 miles of a GM dealership. “Our dealerships are deeply involved and trusted in their communities and are well positioned to determine locations that expand access to electric vehicle charging,” said Hoss Hassani, vice president of GM EV Ecosystem. They can choose schools, small businesses, entertainment venues, and other popular community destinations for chargers.
GM’s dealer program is part of the company’s broader efforts to increase access to charging stations for everyone, not just their customers. The automaker is investing nearly $750 million to expand public access, including working with Pilot Company to build a fast-charging network along U.S. highways and working with EVgo to install 3,250 fast chargers nationwide by 2025. GM also has relationships with 11 electric vehicle charging stations. networks, opening 110,000 additional chargers to its customers.
