Ionna goes all-in on Americana vibe, customer service for its EV rechargeries
APEX, N.C. – Ionna is betting on nostalgia to drive the electric vehicle transition forward.
Cheeky signs adorn the walls in Ionna's signature retro script at its first EV charging station here. 'Espresso yourself' marks the café. 'How you fillin'?' locates the vending machines. A toilet paper illustration hangs outside the restrooms, noting they are: 'The softest detour on your journey.'
Ionna, the charging joint venture founded by eight major automakers, has embraced a vintage Americana aesthetic for its charging stations, called 'rechargeries,' with amenities for both the EV and the driver to recharge.
The lighthearted, familiar voice of Ionna was carefully curated to build trust with the customer. A 24/7 phone line goes straight to Ionna's human-staffed call center, and a QR code on the charging station's door gives drivers access to restrooms, vending machines and meeting spaces at any time of day or night.
'What we wanted to do was build a brand that wasn't about the green message. That wasn't about the environment. That wasn't about the tech. This is about the driver,' said Ricardo Stamatti, chief product officer.
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A funky orange, navy and aqua color palette and round, chunky script take drivers back to the days when cars symbolized freedom and adventure. A mural of a family cruising in a classic car is painted on the side of the rechargery here in Ionna's signature hues.
Ionna crafted its image and voice to create the at-your-service experience 'of what flying used to be and the experience of what Americana road-tripping used to be,' Stamatti said. 'It's about us and you.'
Poor public charger reliability has hindered EV adoption. About a fifth of public charging attempts failed in the third quarter of 2024, according to J.D. Power.
In early February, six Ionna locations with 58 charging plugs were open. Ionna plans to open more than 100 sites with more than 1,000 charging bays this year.
Drivers' experience at the chargers will ultimately define Ionna's image, Stefan Lysak, marketing lead at Roland Berger consultancy, said. But the company's branding helps set it apart.
'There's an opportunity to stand out in the marketplace, which they've achieved with this,' he said. 'Anything that creates a feel-good factor is both novel and welcome … specifically in EVs.'
Ionna displays important information on screens on the sides of the chargers. Prompts show customers — with images and text available in English, Spanish and French — how to pay by card, through a mobile app or via plug and charge. They also include charging and cost details and a 24-hour customer service phone number. The monitors have buttons, rather than touchscreens, because faulty touchscreens are often the reason chargers cannot be used, Stamatti said.
Energizing EV batteries can take 30 minutes or longer depending on the vehicle and the charger. To pass the time at Ionna's Apex Rechargery, drivers can order coffee or a meal from the café, purchase a snack and drink from the vending machines, take calls in one of two conference rooms and play retro video games on the Polycade.
Ionna distributes flyers about nearby events and a map to the historic Apex downtown, a few blocks south of the chargers. One flyer includes a QR code to Apex's tourism website, history on the railroad town, directions to an outdoor sculpture walk and information about the city's cultural arts center.
The vintage imagery, community feel, familiar voice and bold color palette are a 'strategic asset for the company, just as important as the tech and the automakers,' Stamatti said.
BMW, Honda, General Motors, Stellantis, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota founded Ionna, and leaders from each company have a seat on the board. But their brands are intentionally invisible at Ionna's rechargeries.
'We didn't want to be perceived as something that was built by committee,' Stamatti said. 'For Ionna to be successful, one of the main principles is that it truly does operate like an independent company.'
That means the customer comes first. As Ionna's website says, 'Customer service isn't the cherry on top, it's the whole sundae.'
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