Mercedes-Benz’s To Build A EV Charge Network

Written by Kitai | LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube

Mercedes-Benz is taking on Tesla by launching its own electric vehicle charging network, meant to compete with the well-known EV infrastructure. The company's new endeavour will provide an alternate set of charge points for drivers of electric vehicles, hopefully providing more options and convenience to customers.

Mercedes plans to construct an in-house electric car charging system with a total of 10,000 functional charge points by 2027. This network of 350-kW chargers is designed for EVs from different manufacturers in the US, Europe and China, with other areas expected to join in the future. The installations promise to be secure, illuminated, protected and fitted with food and drink services.

Mercedes-Benz and MN8 are teaming up with ChargePoint to install 400 fast electric vehicle charging hubs across the US in an ambitious effort to stimulate EV sales and bolster the nation's strained EV charging infrastructure. The goal of this €1 billion ($1 billion) project will be funded jointly by Mercedes and MN8.

At the start of this year, the companies will commence building hundreds of new hubs, with more than 2,500 DC fast chargers. MN8 Energy - part of Goldman Sachs Asset Management specialising in solar power and energy storage - are providing financial aid for this endeavour; they are utilising ChargePoint's electric vehicle charging equipment and software.

“This is for us a strategic decision to really put our money where our mouth is,” Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius said, “and back up the direction that we’re already taking over the last few years, pivoting towards electric and putting the company in a position by the end of this decade to be able to serve markets with an all-electric lineup.”

In addition to Tesla, VW is sincerely committed through its subsidiary Electrify America. GM is partnering with EVgo to install 3,250 electric vehicle chargers by 2025. Ford demands its dealers set up charging points and is aiding their commercial patrons in setting them up too. Similarly, Volvo is collaborating with ChargePoint to build a network of chargers in Starbucks parking lots across five states.