General Motors Co. in Detroit and Pilot Co. in Knoxville are collaborating on a national DC fast-charging network that will be installed, operated, and maintained by EVgo through its eXtend offering.
The project demonstrates how public and private entities can come together to build out the nation’s charging infrastructure, particularly along American highways, connecting urban and rural communities, the East and West Coasts, and different metropolitan areas.
The goal is to accelerate the widespread adoption of EVs, increase access to charging, and help enable long-distance electric travel of people and vehicles across the U.S.,
This network of 2,000 charging stalls, co-branded “Pilot Flying J” and “Ultium Charge 360,” will be powered by EVgo eXtend and open to all EV brands at up to 500 Pilot and Flying J travel centers.
GM customers will receive special benefits like exclusive reservations, discounts on charging, a streamlined charging process through Plug and Charge, and integration into GM’s vehicle brand apps providing real-time charger availability and help with route planning. This collaboration is expected to enhance America’s EV driving experience.
The major adoption of EVs has a long road ahead given range anxiety, long charging times, few charging stations, electric grid reliability, high prices for vehicles, multiple recalls, the sourcing of battery materials from child labor in Africa, recycling concerns, and more.
The Pilot and Flying J travel centers plan to feature numerous fast-charging stalls provided by EVgo, including high-power fast chargers capable of offering up to 350 kW. EVgo, which also is working with GM to add more than 3,250 fast chargers in American cities and suburbs by the end of 2025, was chosen as a strategic collaborator due to its expertise in building, operating, and maintaining DC fast charging infrastructure.
Many of the sites will feature canopies to help protect customers from the elements while charging, as well as pull-through capability allowing convenient charging for electric pickup trucks and SUVs pulling trailers.
“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,” says Mary Barra, chair and CEO of GM. “With travel centers across North America, Pilot Co. is an ideal collaborator to reach a broad audience of EV drivers.”
Third-party research shows that widespread access to highway charging, particularly in underserved urban and rural areas, is a significant barrier to mass EV adoption.
“EVgo, GM, and Pilot Co. 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,” says Cathy Zoi, CEO at EVgo.
“Through EVgo eXtend, we are demonstrating yet another innovative pathway to help America electrify — and showcasing why EVgo’s technology and industry leadership make us the partner of choice to site hosts, automakers and drivers alike as we work together to deliver a cleaner future of transportation.”
The collaboration is targeting the installation of charging stalls at 50-mile intervals across the U.S. For GM, this development is one more step of its nearly $750 million investment in EV charging infrastructure, including:
- Enabling access to more than 100,000 charge points in the U.S. and Canada through its Ultium Charge 360 ecosystem.
- Collaborating with EVgo to build out a network of 3,250 charging stalls in major metro areas by 2025.
- Installing up to 40,000 chargers in local dealer communities through GM’s Dealer Community Charging Program, focusing on underserved rural and urban areas.
This project builds on Pilot Co.’s recently announced “New Horizons” initiative to invest $1 billion to fully upgrade its travel centers with more premium amenities and offerings that aren’t typically available at current EV charging locations.
Guests will have access to free Wi-Fi at most locations, expanded seating and lounge areas, updated and modernized restrooms, on-site restaurants, and shopping for travel essentials and souvenirs while their vehicles are charging. Pilot and Flying J travel centers are open 24/7, ensuring that team members are always onsite to provide consistently high service to guests.
Beyond this program, GM and Pilot Co. will continue working with key stakeholders to use new and existing public-private programs to accelerate the development of more public EV charging infrastructure.
Pilot Co. and its Pilot Travel Centers is a leading supplier of fuel and the largest operator of travel centers. Founded in 1958, the company, with 30,000 employees, has more than 800 retail and fueling locations and supplies more than 14 billion gallons of fuel per year to the market.
In addition, it has the fourth largest tanker fleet with more than 1,600 trucks that supply DEF, bio and renewable fuels, and provides hauling and disposal services to the oil field sector. Pilot serves 1.3 million guests per day and provides more than 70,000 fleet customers with solutions for fuel, credit, factoring, services, and rewards.
For more information, visit www.pilotcompany.com.
