ChargePoint, BMW, And VW To Build East And West Coast EV Charging Network

It will soon be easier to drive an EV along both coasts in the U.S. Thanks to a new partnership with ChargePoint, BMW and VW, hundreds of charging stations will be placed strategically along the East and West Coast of America. This will create a network allowing drivers to travel between Portland and San Diego and Boston and Washington D.C.
ChargePoint already has a significant install base around the States with more than 20,000 chargers. But they’re scattered. ChargePoint focuses on selling the charging stations to businesses and municipalities. With this partnership, though, the company will install stations both between and within relevant metro areas. The stations will be at the max 50 miles away from each other.
The locations will house up to two 50 kW DC Fast chargers or 24 kW DC Combo Fast chargers.
These stations will recharge most EVs including models from BMW and VW. Tesla’s might need an adapter, though, but of course Tesla owners can also tap into Tesla’s own Supercharger network.

ChargePoint has so far been successful equipping the US with charging points. There are likely charging stations near every metro area around the country. Yet they’re placed randomly, leaving gaps that some EVs cannot cross. ChargePoint is taking a page from Tesla’s playbook here.
Tesla pulled off something of a coup with its Supercharger network. When the company announced its first charging station network, they didn’t announce plans to build it: the stations were already installed and ready to be used. Tesla then quickly rolled the network out country-wide, creating corridors for its cars to traverse. Now, some three years later, thanks to the Supercharger network, Tesla can brag that its vehicles no longer have a limited range. There’s a Supercharger everywhere. BMW and VW likely want the same marketing point.
Unlike Superchargers, these ChargePoint stations will not be free. Like other ChargePoint stations, users will need a subscription to the network or they can pay at the station per use.