IONNA inaugura su primera estación de carga en colaboración con Circle K

IONNA’s first charging site tied to its new Circle K partnership appears to be operating in Peotone, Illinois, according to charging-site trackers and a May 21 video update from YouTube channel DCFC. The opening comes about five weeks after IONNA and Circle K announced a nationwide agreement to expand high-power charging across the United States. IONNA said on April 14 that the deal targets more than 350 Circle K locations and includes the upgrade of about 85 existing Circle K charging sites. The company said those sites would use its “Rechargeries @ Circle K” format and support both NACS and CCS connectors, with charging speeds of up to 400 kilowatts. ### Where is the first Circle K-linked IONNA site? Peotone, Illinois, is the location identified by EV charging tracker reports as the first IONNA site at a Circle K. One tracker listing cited by third-party charging coverage shows a Peotone site on Oriole Drive with four DC fast-charging stalls rated at up to 400 kW. A separate industry report published this week said the site was open and linked it to the first IONNA Rechargery at Circle K. (ionna.com) The April 14 IONNA announcement did not name a first operating location. Instead, IONNA said the first Rechargeries @ Circle K would begin serving customers by the end of 2026, followed by broader expansion in 2027. That makes the Peotone opening, if confirmed by IONNA directly, an earlier visible launch than the timetable described in the original partnership release. (evchargingstations.com) ### What exactly did IONNA and Circle K announce in April? April 14 was the date IONNA and Circle K said they would work together to expand EV charging access across the U.S. IONNA said it would take over operation of sites in Circle K’s existing U.S. charging portfolio and “rapidly convert and upgrade” about 85 existing sites. The companies also said they would add new charging deployments at high-traffic Circle K locations that do not yet have chargers. (ionna.com) Aaron Wolff, IONNA’s chief operating officer, said in the release that Circle K’s “scale, customer focus, and quality of location” made it an ideal partner for expanding high-power charging where drivers already stop. Håkon Stiksrud, Circle K’s vice president of global eMobility, said the partnership was aimed at making charging “as easy and convenient as possible” at locations drivers already trust. Circle K said it has more than 7,300 U.S. stores. (ionna.com) ### Why are Circle K and Walmart showing up in the same charging conversation? Walmart and ABB E-mobility said on April 28 that they had launched ABB A400 fast chargers at seven Walmart locations in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The companies said those Arizona sites, along with locations in Colorado, Florida and Georgia, were among the first in a planned nationwide rollout. Walmart said customers would be able to start charging sessions through the Walmart app. (ionna.com) ABB said Walmart’s U.S. store base gives the retailer unusual reach, with more than 5,200 Walmart and Sam’s Club stores and 90% of Americans living within 10 miles of a Walmart location. Adam Happel, general manager of Walmart EV Charging, said the company was building a network that lets customers charge “quickly and affordably” without changing their shopping routine. (e-mobility.abb.com) ### What is IONNA trying to build beyond one site? IONNA says it was founded by eight automakers — BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis and Toyota — and is working toward 30,000 high-power charging bays by 2030. The Circle K deal is one piece of that build-out, and the company has framed its network around retail stops rather than standalone highway infrastructure alone. (e-mobility.abb.com) May 22 is IONNA’s next visible customer milestone on its website, where the company says a Memorial Day promotional charging rate of $0.20 per kilowatt-hour will run through May 25 at participating Rechargeries. Circle K and IONNA have said additional Rechargeries @ Circle K are due to scale in 2027, while Walmart and ABB said more Phoenix-area locations will be energized in the coming months. (ionna.com 1) (ionna.com 2)