Mercedes-Benz used CES 2023 to announce its first global charging network launching in North America. Construction on sites in the United States and Canada started this year. Later, there will be locations in Europe, China and other key markets for the automaker. The goal is to have a full network before the end of the decade.
Mercedes partnered with MN8 Energy to create this charging network. They will share a 50:50 investment of more than 1 billion Euros ($1.05 billion at current exchange rates) to build the North American network over the next six to seven years. By 2027, there will be 400 hubs planned, which will provide more than 2,500 chargers for drivers.
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Mercedes will prioritize building charging centers in cities and urban population centers. Specific locations will be near retail destinations, restaurants, and automaker dealerships. Most sites have 4 to 12 chargers, and some have up to 30 chargers.
The hub will have a charger that supports up to 350 kilowatts. They will have intelligent charging management so that each vehicle will recharge at its maximum capacity. Plugging in will be possible from either side of the model, which will make things easier for drivers. Where possible, Mercedes will use renewable energy certificates for power sources. Some locations will have solar cells.
The network will prioritize Mercedes customers by giving them preferential access to chargers. Other EV drivers will also be able to use the site.
The Mercedes-Benz Electric Intelligence navigation system will be able to adjust route planning based on the vehicle’s destination and will be able to bring it to one of these chargers, including pre-booking. According to the company’s claims, the system will know the available capacity at a hub and will give drivers direct access to charging points without waiting.
Once there, the charger will communicate with the vehicle. For Mercedes models, the driver does not need to perform manual authentication. Service payments will be made through the Mercedes Me Charge service. Other EV owners will have separate payment methods.
