Mercedes-Benz has grand plans to build its own global network of high-power EV charging stations, which it calls its High-Power Charging Network. By the end of 2024, it promises, there will be more than 2,000 DC fast-charging ports available.
This won’t be a collection of stations from different networks. This was reiterated by the corporation on Monday, along with the way it intends to launch the network: with stations in Atlanta, Chengdu, China, and Mannheim, Germany, starting operations in the fourth quarter of 2023.
By the end of the decade, Mercedes-Benz hopes to build its own network to more than 2,000 of the so-called charging hubs, providing a total of 10,000 connectors worldwide. The business has already stated that this network will initially concentrate on North America.
In light of the recently planned North American EV charging network with six other automakers, the business has now stated how this might fit in. The High Power Charging Network is described as “an additional key component of the company’s overall electrification strategy” in the statement, implying that both projects will proceed and be unique from one another.
Mercedes may have committed to adding even more chargers with the advent of the as-yet-unnamed North American network.
Although it will take a few years for the changeover to start making its way into cars—a CCS adaptor will be made available for purchase for the first time in 2019—Mercedes committed to a conversion to the Tesla NACS port for North America in July. The statement implies that North American stations might offer a mix of CCS1 and NACS connectors. It states that depending on the region, these stations will enable charging of up to 400 kilowatts, delivered via CCS1, CCS2, NACS, or GB/T connectors. Refreshments, snacks, restrooms, canopies over charging ports, security cameras, and intelligent light poles with LED elements that display the status of vehicle charging will all be available at stations. Of course, they’ll keep providing the Plug & Charge convenience, which enables a vehicle’s corresponding payment information to be instantly detected.
The company claims that these stations will use only renewable energy at all times, either directly through green electricity supply agreements or indirectly through renewable energy certificates.
