Representatives from eight of the world’s largest automakers gathered in Durham on Wednesday to recognize their shared electric vehicle charging network, a show of confidence in the industry’s future as EV sales decline and federal support recedes.

IONNA, the Durham-based network owned by Toyota, BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis, received a J.D. Power award for ranking highest among public DC fast-charging networks.

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The ceremony comes during a difficult stretch for the EV market. Americans bought 20.5% fewer new EVs in the second quarter than during the same period last year, according to Cox Automotive. Sales improved from the first quarter, suggesting the market may be stabilizing, but several automakers have delayed or scaled back electric models since federal consumer tax credits expired.

Toyota says the pullback has not changed its long-term expectations.

“There’s been, of course, a slowdown for some time, but there’s still a long-term trajectory for battery electric vehicles and all electrified vehicles,” said Thibaut de Barros Conti, vice president of business development at Toyota North America.

The transition carries consequences beyond the auto industry. Transportation is the largest source of direct greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, accounting for 28% of the total, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Most of those emissions come from burning gasoline and diesel.

Public charging remains a major obstacle. J.D. Power says it is the top reason new-vehicle shoppers give for rejecting EVs, leaving automakers with a shared problem even as they compete for customers.

“We felt if we pooled together to help the entire industry, that would benefit the customer and, of course, benefit the overall market,” de Barros Conti said.

Toyota joined IONNA in 2024. The partnership expands the automaker’s growing footprint in North Carolina, where its $13.9 billion battery plant in Liberty began production in 2025. The plant, southeast of Greensboro, makes batteries for hybrids, plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles assembled in the United States. Toyota expects it to employ about 5,100 people when fully staffed.

“The plant is operational. There is a growth strategy over time for expansion,” de Barros Conti said. “Having both the battery plant and then, of course, having IONNA here, I think, is a testament to North Carolina.”

J.D. Power’s latest study found that public charging is becoming more reliable. The share of visits in which drivers arrived at a station but could not charge fell to 12%, the lowest rate recorded since the study began.

IONNA earned 807 points out of 1,000, placing it ahead of the Mercedes-Benz Charging Network and Rivian Adventure Network. The study included responses from 6,594 owners of fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

IONNA CEO Seth Cutler said drivers first need confidence that they can find a charger and that it will work. He called that the “bare minimum.”

“The question is, how do you build on top of that from an overall experience where I have something to do while I’m there, I feel safe, it’s a place that’s enjoyable?” Cutler said.

IONNA operates about 177 locations across 30 states and expects to surpass 200 by the end of the year, according to Cutler. The company says it has more than 1,400 charging bays operating, with another 700 under construction. Its goal is to build at least 30,000 bays across North America by 2030.

Cutler said the company is expanding despite the sales decline because the existing charging network does not meet the needs of current EV drivers. He predicted sales could begin growing again next year.

“We’re building the network for both today to meet the needs of drivers, but also for 2027 and beyond, as the market continues to grow,” Cutler said.

North Carolina plays a central role in that expansion. IONNA selected Durham for its global headquarters and has opened more than a dozen charging locations across the state.

Its first Rechargery transformed a roughly 100-year-old gas station in Apex into a charging destination with covered chargers, bathrooms, a 24-hour lounge and a bakery operated by a local entrepreneur. IONNA also operates a location in Garner.

The chargers are available regardless of vehicle brand and support both major connector types. Some locations include food, lounges and covered charging spaces, addressing safety and convenience as well as reliability.

Toyota has taken a more cautious approach to fully electric vehicles than some competitors. Its “multi-pathway” strategy includes hybrids, plug-in hybrids, fully electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.

More than half of Toyota’s current sales are “electrified,” according to de Barros Conti. That category includes conventional hybrids and does not mean half its vehicles are fully electric.

Affordability remains another obstacle. De Barros Conti said automakers are working to lower prices as battery technology matures, while tariffs are placing additional pressure on the industry.

“The industry is aware that affordability is something that has to be looked at again for the health of the industry, for customers’ wallets,” de Barros Conti said.