Mercedes-Benz has announced that IONNA, a joint venture between seven automakers including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, and Stellantis, is now set to begin operations in North America after receiving approval from regulatory bodies.

IONNA plans to become one of the most accessible and reliable high-powered charging networks in North America with the deployment of at least 30,000 high-powered chargers, and will be helmed by Seth Cutler. Cutler previously served as the Senior Vice President of Technical Operations before becoming the President and Chief Operations Officer at electric vehicle charging solutions provider EV Connect.

IONNA charging network will be accessible to all electric vehicles equipped with NACS or CCS charging ports, and the firm is aiming to deliver a best-in-class charging experience with charging sites offering amenities including restrooms and food service alongside retail operations. The firm also states that customers can expect convenient locations complete with canopies for customer comfort and ease of charging. And on that front, IONNA's network will also facilitate seamless integration with participating automakers' in-vehicle and in-app experiences, encompassing reservations, intelligent route planning and navigation, payment applications, and transparent energy management.

IONNA's charging stations are additionally intended to be powered by renewable energy. The joint venture anticipates opening its first charging stations in the U.S.A in 2024, with plans for expansion into Canada at a later stage.