In a bid to boost EV sales and improve the nation's struggling EV charging infrastructure, Mercedes-Benz, ChargePoint, and MN8 are joining forces. The project will cost over a billion dollars and will be split between Mercedes and the other side.
More than 2,500 DC fast charging plugs will be included in the construction of hundreds of new hubs. The project will be financed using ChargePoint's EV charging hardware and software, the companies said.
We need to put our money where our mouths are.
"This is for us a strategic decision to really put our money where our mouth is and back up the direction that we're already taking over the last few years."
By the end of the decade, Mercedes expects to sell only EV-only vehicles. Charging infrastructure, production capacity, and higher-than-average EV prices are significant challenges.
In key cities and urban population centers, along major highway corridors and close to convenient retail and service destinations, the Mercedes-ChargePoint EV charging hubs will be found.
Key cities and urban population centers will be the locations of the EV charging hubs.
Mercedes' chief technology officer said it would be a safe place. It won't be in the backyard, it will be next to a dumpster.
People who own a Mercedes EV will have the option to reserve a station at the charging hub. Schfer said they wanted to have a seamless process. Reservations are a feature that we offer to Mercedes customers.
Mercedes has a prior arrangement with ChargePoint for an "industry-leading" EV charging solution called Mercedes me Charge, which allows access to ChargePoint's chargers without multiple charging network accounts, subscriptions, or charging cards. Mercedes EV owners can get two years of complimentary charging with the Volkswagen deal.
There are more than 100,000 public charging stations in the US. EV owners usually park in their driveway to charge up. If EV's are to become a more attractive option to car buyers, charging stations need to become more pervasive and reliable.
They are not living up to their promise. There are a lot of complaints from EV owners. The Biden administration is pouring billions of dollars into a nationwide expansion effort but there are still questions about whether EV charging companies are invested in the necessary maintenance and upkeep.
The Plug-and-Charge protocol, which automatically identifies the EV when it's plugged in and starts charging without any additional steps, is a way to improve the customer experience.
Mercedes-Benz puts its own money into installing charging stations.
Mercedes-Benz puts its own money into installing charging stations. It makes sense that the company would want to be seen as involved in charging infrastructure improvements since sales of the German automaker's EQ brand of electric vehicles are up in the US.
In the past, the only automaker to invest in EV charging infrastructure wasTesla. In recent years, the auto industry has come to understand the necessity of spending money on EV charging in order to drive EV sales and help recover the enormous costs of their development.
VW's subsidiary, Electrify America, is the most invested of all the companies. The installation of 3,250 charging points will be completed by the end of the year. Volvo is working with ChargePoint to build out a network of charging points in Starbucks parking lots.
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