Mercedes has announced that it will be creating its own network of high-power EV chargers, with 10,000 set to be installed by the end of the decade.
The first 400 hubs are set to arrive in North America this year, which will have more than 2,500 electric chargers. The roll out is expected to be complete by 2027.
The chargers will operate under the Mercedes brand and owners of the company’s car will have priority access, although the network will be available to cars from other manufacturers.
The company has said that charging stations will be able to accommodate 350kW rates with the potential to increase in the future. Mercedes has also said that it will focus on making sure that customers using its hubs will have a “premium, sustainable and reliable charging experience”.
Mercedes will split the cost of the network with MN8, a solar energy producer that will provide energy to all sites. Both have said that they planned to apply for federal subsidies available to companies that build chargers.
Mercedes drivers will be able to use the MercedesMe service to pay for their charge and will even be able to reserve a slot at a charging station.
Speaking at the announcement at CES in Las Vegas, Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz said, “To accelerate the electric transformation, we need to ensure that the charging experience keeps pace as well. That’s why we are launching a global high-end charging network.”
Working on the network will begin later this year with the United States and Canada the first region to be targeted. Hubs will be placed in key cities and close to main arterial routes and destinations.
