The one major fear consumers have when making the choice to buy a new battery-electric vehicle (BEV) or even a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), the question that comes to mind, “Where can I charge up?” Not many answers may come to mind. We’ve all seen them somewhere, tucked away in a shopping plaza, or maybe a couple on the side of a parking lot. The one majorly dedicated BEV charging station is for Tesla, and not everyone can afford a Tesla. Now, consumers won’t have to with the recent collaboration between General Motors and Tesla. Beginning in 2024, General Motors drivers just need an adapter, and they too can charge up at a Tesla supercharger.

General Motors, parent company of Chevrolet, already has plenty of BEVs planned to launch in the next few years. Working with a big name like Tesla, and giving GM EV drivers access to the 12,000 Tesla Superchargers throughout North America. Starting in 2025, the automaker will begin the integration of the North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector design into its BEVs as a standard. For consumers that currently have a GM or Chevy BEV, purchasing an adapter is the only option, but it’s worth the price for a little more convenience in finding a charging station.

Speaking of convenience, many BEV charging stations may not come to mind, but there are plenty of apps out there that make it easy to find somewhere to charge up. GM even has the Ultium Charge 360 initiative and mobile apps that gives consumers access to more than 134,000 chargers. PlugShare is a popular app for BEV and PHEV owners – the most complete map of BEV charging stations in the world – the new collaboration between GM and Tesla gives rise to more projects by GM using a similar service. To accelerate the installation of home, work, and public charging as part of its Ultium Charge 360 initiative, GM will also be collaborating with Pilot Company and EVgo to add more than 5,000 DC fast chargers in North America. At the moment, there are about 13,000 DC fast charger, but with the changing industry, consumers will want to find one on every corner and major highway exit so they can get going faster.

What is a DC fast charger? Ever read about a BEV and there’s always that quote of being able to get an 80-percent charge in 15 minutes? That’s the power of a DC fast charger. Charging stations that take more time are more well-known, and can be found a lot easier. These are great if someone is running some errands or has a place of work that provides a charging station. Colleges even installed a few Tesla chargers when Tesla first made it big. But when on a road trip, especially with the summer starting, being able to charge up and keep going should be as easy as going to the gas station.

Interested in some of the upcoming Chevrolet electric pickup trucks? There are also some plans for GM to produce an electric truck.

Photo Source/Copyright: Tesla