- Ionna, the EV fast charging network backed by several automakers, is expanding fast.
- A big part of the expansion comes down to lightning-fast building techniques.
- In Oklahoma City, Ionna’s partner built a brand new station in less than a week.
Ionna recently celebrated its second anniversary, as well as its 100th EV charging station in the United States. The company, which is backed by several automakers and uses 400-kilowatt DC fast chargers exclusively for its stations, is expanding fast, and now we know why.
Most conventional DC fast charging stations usually need weeks or even months of construction, which can hold back a company’s expansion plans quite a bit. Ionna, however, found a company that dramatically slashed that time to less than a week.
At an upcoming site in Oklahoma City’s Bricktown district, EV infrastructure developer 3V3i finished construction of a new Ionna fast charging station in just five business days, and there’s a video to prove it. That’s half the time compared to 3V3i’s previous record, and a new benchmark for the industry.
The construction company said that it used a combination of prefabricated charging infrastructure components, integrated engineering and construction design, and a streamlined installation process to get the job done.
"Speed of deployment is one of the biggest challenges facing EV infrastructure expansion," said a 3V3i spokesperson. "Our prefab manufacturing model allows charging networks to dramatically reduce construction timelines, lower project costs, and bring charging capacity online faster."
All this being said, it’s worth noting that these five days were not enough to actually flick the “On” switch at the new charging station. Looking at 3V3i’s own video, it’s clear that the station is pretty much ready to go, with three individual Alpitronic HYC400 stalls on the ground, offering four CCS connectors and two NACS cables. These dispensers have the power electronics built in, so there’s no need for a separate power cabinet. However, the station itself is not yet listed on Ionna’s website, and on PlugShare, the location is listed as “Coming Soon.”
Ionna’s Oklahoma City station is bound to go online sooner rather than later, though, as the company has ambitious expansion plans. It has energized nearly 1,000 bays since opening the first DC fast chargers in December 2024, with 212 charging bays going online this year alone. Going forward, Ionna wants to have no fewer than 30,000 bays operational by 2030–1,000 have already been built, 4,700 are contracted, and nearly 1,500 are under construction.
Gallery: Ionna DC Fast Charging Station In Oklahoma City
