GM has been investing big in its electric future, and despite some setbacks with the Chevy Bolt EV that has been spontaneously combusting, the manufacturing giant seems well on its way to going all-electric in the near future. As part of its big EV plans, GM has invested in projects such as the Wallace Battery Cell Innovation Center in Warren, Michigan, and recently teamed up with Shell to offer a fixed-rate home energy plan that uses 100 percent renewable energy resources. GM's most recent announcement takes things a step further: the company just announced over 40,000 community-based charging stations and new smart EV supply equipment as part of a national push.

The big plan is to install up to 40,000 Level 2 EV chargers across the U.S. and Canada targeting local communities, especially underserved rural and urban areas with limited access to EV infrastructure. The initiative is set to begin in 2022 and forms part of GM's $750 million commitment to electrification in North America through its Ultium Charge 360 ecosystem. The best part is that these charging stations will be available to all, not just GM customers. That's EV socialism working in the real world. According to GM, close to 90 percent of the US population lives within 10 miles of a GM dealership, which should also help make things easier. GM also announced that its new line of three Ultium-branded Level 2 smart charging stations will be offered at dealerships and online to help proliferate EV charging throughout the US.

GM is planning on giving each of its EV dealerships up to 10 Level 2 destination charging stations to eliminate the "charging deserts" that exist in parts of the US, and will also integrate with other major EV charging networks to allow its customers access to nearly 85,000 charging spots throughout North America. GM's Ultium EV systems and chargers are also set to change the charging game with a wide variety of options, including 11.5 kilowatt/48-amp smart chargers and premium smart chargers, and 19.2 kW/80-amp premium smart chargers. These chargers will feature extra comforts such as Wi-Fi and can be upgraded through over-the-air updates. Customers will be able to set charging schedules, view statistics and receive readouts of charger status through mobile apps. According to GM, the first Ultimium chargers are getting ready for shipment early in 2022. Let the great charge begin.