Automotive giant General Motors (GM) and Pilot Company, operator of Pilot and Flying J travel centers, announced today a new collaboration, aimed at building out a national direct current fast charging network to enable long-distance electric travel in the U.S.

The new network of 2,000 charging stalls, co-branded “Pilot Flying J” and “Ultium Charge 360,” will be installed, operated, and maintained by the fast-charging network company, EVgo, through its eXtend offering. The announcement follows an agreement in 2020 between GM and EVgo the launch of GM’s agreement with EVgo in 2020 to add 2,700 fast chargers over the next five years in U.S. cities and suburbs.

Cathy Zoi, CEO at EVgo, said:

“EVgo, GM and Pilot Company share a commitment to building an electric fueling network that increases access and makes the shift to electrification as frictionless as possible for all. We look forward to this collaboration and ensuring the EVgo network provides nationwide coverage, including critical corridors for road trips.”

The network will be open to all EV brands at up to 500 Pilot and Flying J travel centers along highways across the country. The charging stalls include high-power fast chargers capable of offering up to 350 kW.

According to the companies, the collaboration is targeting the installation of charging stalls at 50-mile intervals across the U.S.

Shameek Konar, Pilot Company Chief Executive Officer, said:

“Our travel centers are well-equipped to accommodate EV charging with 24/7 amenities and convenient proximity to major roadways across the country. We look forward to collaborating with GM and the U.S. Department of Transportation to make convenient coast-to-coast EV travel a reality through our national network of travel centers.”

Last year, GM launched a series of ambitious climate goals aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by 2040 and eliminate tailpipe emissions by 2035. In June 2021, the company also announced it is ramping its investment in its EV and AV business to $35 billion through 2025.

In January, the company also announced that it anticipates to have more than 1 million units of EV capacity in North America by the end of 2025.

Mary Barra, GM Chair and Chief Executive Officer, said:

“We are committed to an all-electric, zero-emissions future, and ensuring that the right charging infrastructure is in place is a key piece of the puzzle. With travel centers across North America, Pilot Company is an ideal collaborator to reach a broad audience of EV drivers.”

The first phase of charging stalls under the collaboration are expected to be operational in 2023. GM and Pilot stated they are planning to continue working with stakeholders to use existing public-private programs to accelerate the development of more public EV charging infrastructure.

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