Mercedes-Benz to Build 10,000 Charging Stations

Mercedes-Benz is set to build 10,000 fast-charging points in North America, the EU and China by the end of this decade. The German manufacturer announced during the 2023 edition of the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) a US$1.06 billion investment jointly with M8N Energy, a Goldman Sachs renewable energy company.

The luxury carmaker will start building these stations this year in North America, aiming to have 2,500 charging points at 400 locations across the US and Canada by 2027, said the company during CES. This is part of the company’s electrification strategy that is focused on “innovations that give back time, make life easier and generate excitement,” said Mercedes-Benz.

The automaker and MN8 Energy are collaborating with charging network company ChargerPoint, a renewable energy and battery storage company that offers clean energy solutions. This project aims to tackle the increasing demand for EVs charging stations, especially in major urban cities.

Mercedes-Benz expects that this will elevate the user experience. “It is designed to become another differentiator of Mercedes-Benz ownership for our customers and an asset with value creation potential for our company. We are excited to start right here in North America with strong and experienced partners like MN8 Energy and ChargePoint,” said Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management, Mercedes-Benz Group AG. 

The charging stations will also be available at participating dealerships. While the stations will be built to power Mercedes-Benz’s EVs, the company highlighted that other brands will be able to use them as long as the charger is compatible. Potential charging prices have not been made public, but users will be able to reserve a charging spot through the company’s infotainment system and pay with the Mercedes Me Charge service. The company will release new details in the upcoming months.

“The charging network will focus first and foremost on Mercedes-Benz customers, who will enjoy preferential access via a reservation function and other benefits. However, it will also be open to drivers of all other brands with compatible technology,” according to the company.

In other news, one of the biggest EVs manufacturers in the world may announce a new investment in Mexico. Tesla has supposedly chosen Nuevo Leon to build a gigafactory through an initial investment between US$800 million and US$1 billion to manufacture components for the company’s current models, as reported by MBN. Key automotive companies keep investing in creating integral electromobility services, as it seems to be the industry unified response towards achieving a more sustainable sector.