Mercedes-Benz on Thursday announced plans to build its own EV charging network, covering many key markets around the world, including North America.
The automaker made the announcement at CES 2023 in Las Vegas, where it also said it aims to launch more than 10,000 chargers by the end of the decade, when its full lineup will be all-electric vehicles.
Construction will begin this year in the US and Canada and will slowly expand to other countries. By 2027, more than 400 stations will be operational in North America, which together will have more than 2,500 chargers. The chargers will offer power ratings of up to 350 kw.
In North America, Mercedes is working with charging network technology company ChargePoint and solar energy and battery storage company MN8 Energy on the expansion. MN8 Energy’s involvement will help ensure users have access to renewable energy.
Mercedes and MN8 Energy will jointly invest approximately $1.05 billion over the next six to seven years in the construction of the North American service stations.
Mercedes-Benz charging network for electric vehicles
Stations are located in major cities and near major thoroughfares and popular retail and restaurant locations. Chargers will also be installed at participating Mercedes-Benz dealerships. While the stations for electric vehicles from other brands will be open, Mercedes customers can reserve charging spots from their vehicles.
The system knows the usage rates at each location and ensures that the Mercedes owner has instant access to the reserved charger at the required time. The charger also communicates with the vehicle, so no authentication is required.
Mercedes is already part of the Ionity joint venture, which operates charging stations across Europe, although the new stations will carry the automaker’s own branding, similar to Tesla’s Supercharger network, which launched more than a decade ago.
Audi has tested the waters with a handful of its own charging stations in Germany, though the automaker has yet to commit to a global network like Mercedes and Tesla.
