Mercedes-Benz on Thursday announced plans to build its own electric vehicle charging network covering many major markets around the world, including North America.
The automaker made the announcement at the 2023 CES in Las Vegas, saying it aims to have more than 10,000 chargers by the end of the decade, when its entire lineup will consist of electric vehicles only.
Construction will begin this year in the US and Canada, before slowly expanding to more countries. By 2027, more than 400 charging stations will be in operation in North America, and these charging stations will add up to more than 2,500 charging piles. These chargers will provide power ratings up to 350 kilowatts.
In North America, Mercedes is working with charging network technology company ChargePoint and solar and battery storage company MN8 Energy on the buildout. MN8 Energy’s participation will help ensure users have access to renewable energy.
Mercedes and MN8 Energy will jointly invest approximately US$1.05 billion in the North American station over the next six to seven years.
Mercedes-Benz EV Charging Network
The stations will be located in major cities, as well as near major highway arterials and popular retail and restaurant locations. Participating Mercedes-Benz dealers will also install the chargers. While these charging stations will be open to other brands of electric vehicles, Mercedes customers will be able to reserve charging slots for their vehicles.
The system will be aware of usage at various locations and ensure Mercedes owners have immediate access to reserved chargers when needed. The charger will also communicate with the vehicle so no authentication is required.
Mercedes is already part of Ionity, a joint venture that operates charging stations in Europe, although the new stations will bear the automaker’s own branding, similar to Tesla’s Supercharger network launched more than a decade ago.
Audi has already tested the waters with a few of its own charging stations in Germany, though the automaker has not yet committed to a global network.