IONNA Ranked #1 In J.D. Power Study As Network More Than Doubles Size During 2026

On September 30, 2026, IONNA, the electric vehicle (EV) charging network founded by eight of the world’s leading automakers, announced it has surpassed 180 live charging sites nationwide, more than doubling the size of its network since the beginning of 2026. The network’s rapid growth comes as IONNA earned the top ranking among DC fast-charging networks in the 2026 J.D. Power U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Public Charging Study in its first year of eligibility.

The achievement reflects IONNA’s focus on expanding charging coverage while maintaining reliability, customer satisfaction and amenities. The company said the combination of network growth and its first-place customer satisfaction ranking demonstrates that charging scale and charging quality do not have to be a tradeoff.

Scaling The National Footprint

IONNA has accelerated its national expansion through its strategic partnership with Circle K, announced earlier this year. More than 40 Circle K charging locations have already been brought online, rapidly increasing charging access across one of America’s largest convenience retail networks. IONNA said usage at locations has doubled following upgrades to IONNA operations.

Removing Friction Through Open Access

IONNA’s decision not to create a proprietary charging app initially attracted curiosity, but the company says the strategy has allowed it to concentrate on seamless integrations with platforms drivers already use.

With new integrations involving Presto, ChargeHub and EV Connect, IONNA has expanded its supported partner-app portfolio to 19 platforms. Plug & Charge capabilities are now available to Volvo drivers, while support for Toyota and Lexus is expected to arrive in October.

Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz have also joined BMW and General Motors in offering charging discounts through their respective apps and Plug & Charge. IONNA said the remaining founding automakers will soon join the expanding portfolio, further simplifying and reducing the cost of public charging for drivers.

“The industry has treated charging scale and charging quality as a tradeoff. Our growth and first-place customer satisfaction ranking show that drivers can and should expect both,” said Seth Cutler, CEO of IONNA. “The IONNA team is focused on delivering quality at scale to enable the sale and adoption of EVs in North America.”

Building The Network With Drivers

Driver feedback is also becoming a central part of IONNA’s network development strategy. The company has established a Driver Advisory Council made up of leading voices from the EV community.

The council is co-captained by Kyle Conner of Out of Spec and Tom Moloughney of State of Charge. It will provide structured input on network performance, customer priorities and future product development while advocating for EV driver priorities and helping IONNA continuously improve its charging experience.

The council’s first priority is gathering feedback on IONNA’s newly launched Driver’s Dashboard. The feature gives drivers an in-depth view of real-time charging-session information without requiring another app. Drivers can monitor their charging progress while using the amenities surrounding the charging location.

The Driver’s Dashboard eliminates the need for downloads, subscriptions or another password, giving drivers charging information directly when they need it.

IONNA’s network expansion, first-place customer satisfaction ranking, Circle K retail growth, growing partner integrations and Driver Advisory Council all support the company’s strategy of developing public charging around the customer.

As IONNA continues expanding, the company says collaboration among automakers and charging partners, rather than fragmentation, can accelerate improvements to EV charging across North America.

Tesla and Electrify America’s Prices Are Highest for EV Charging, Ionna is Lowest

EVinfo.net reported recently that Tesla and Electrify America average among the highest of all U.S. electric vehicle (EV) charging networks at about $0.58 and $0.56 per kWh, according to Paren’s Leaderboard for DC Fast Charging. Ionna is the lowest, at $0.38 per kWh.

High Gas and Diesel Prices Are Driving Up Food and Nearly All Prices on Goods

On October 5, 2026, AAA reported the average U.S. gas price was $4.3653, and the year-ago average was $3.1339. Diesel was reported at $6.3207 average, with a year ago average of $3.6898.

EV drivers are somewhat immune from today’s high gas prices due to the Iran war, as we power our vehicles with domestic energy that creates U.S. jobs and economic growth. However, diesel prices are also high, and diesel trucks transport food and nearly everything Americans buy, so all prices and inflation are rising fast. On September 18, Reuters reported that diesel costs for US farmers are double last year’s level.

Record diesel prices are also pressuring food transport and retail. Prices seem headed up for grocery staples, such as produce and meat.

Consumer Sentiment at Lowest Level Since 2014

CNBC reported on September 29 that consumer sentiment fell to its lowest level since 2014 in September. An inflation-weary public took a dimmer view on the labor market and the impact higher prices would have on their finances, the Conference Board reported.

The board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell to 81.9, a decline of 6.7 points and a reading well below the Dow Jones consensus forecast for 89.

Respondents cited concerns over inflation and the poor jobs outlook. For the first time in the four-year history of the particular survey question, more respondents said their personal finances were bad as opposed to good.

EVinfo.net’s Take: More Ionna Discounts Please

Kudos and congrats Ionna! I’m glad Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz have also joined BMW and General Motors in offering Ionna charging discounts. But what about the other automaker partners? Get them on board with discounts please. Thank you also for offering the lowest-priced public EV charging.

The EV Charging Reliability Problem Nobody Owns, Featuring Hilary Taylor, CEO of WattsUp on the Field Frequency Podcast

The JD Power 2026 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Public Charging Study said the industry non-charge visit rate reaches its lowest level in the study’s history at 12% in the most recent quarter, improving from 14% during the same period a year ago, which is good news. However, there is still room for improvement. This is where WattsUp comes in.

In September 2026, WattsUp CEO Hilary Taylor appeared on the Field Frequency Podcast with host Jason Cortes to discuss the company’s approach to EV charging reliability.

Taylor described WattsUp as a layer connecting the fragmented charging ecosystem rather than replacing existing charging management systems. The platform combines machine learning, contextual data, operational workflows and technician feedback to shift maintenance toward proactive action.