Ionna to train U.S. car dealers to improve EV sales

Ionna, a fast-charging network backed by eight major automakers, plans to launch a training program for dealership staff to improve electric vehicle (EV) sales and consumer education. Scheduled to begin in early 2027, the initiative will target several hundred dealership locations in major U.S. cities, including San Francisco, Dallas, Orlando, and Raleigh.

The program focuses on educating salespeople on charging infrastructure, network availability, and charging speeds to help overcome barriers to EV adoption. Ionna’s backers include General Motors, Stellantis, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Honda, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz.

Ionna is currently expanding its footprint, growing from 90 active stations in January to 191 by October, with the 200th location expected to open this month. The company aims to install 30,000 plugs across North America by 2030. While growing rapidly, Ionna remains significantly smaller than Tesla’s network of over 3,000 stations and faces competition from other expanding networks like Walmart’s.