Mercedes-Benz is going full throttle with their electric vehicle ambitions. In an announcement today, CEO Ola Källenius laid out the automaker’s vision for dominating the burgeoning EV market. “Our goal is simple,” Källenius said, “to build the world’s most desirable EVs. To make the switch to electric happen faster, we’re committed to giving our customers an amazing experience from start to finish – including fast, convenient charging whenever and wherever they need it.”
By 2024, Mercedes owners will be able to see Tesla Supercharger locations right on their car’s nav screen or phone app and pay for charging on the spot. Mercedes is also launching their own high-power charging network this year and will support the North American Charging Standard (Tesla’s NACS), so drivers have options galore.
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If that wasn’t enough, Mercedes plans to set up over 2,000 charging centers and 10,000 charging points worldwide by 2030. Källenius emphasized that “Mercedes charging centers will fuel up EVs of any make or model. We want to give all EV drivers access to safe, efficient charging they can count on.”
Volkswagen and its charging arm Electrify America will likewise use the North American standard, having recently struck a deal with Tesla. It looks like the days of EV charging as a pain point are numbered if the big German automakers have anything to say about it!
Mercedes is clearly eager to grab the bull by the horns in the high-stakes EV market. By boosting charging convenience and access, the storied automaker undoubtedly hopes to tempt more customers into its stable of all-electric models like the EQE SUV and upcoming CLE Coupe. One thing’s for sure – with ambitious plans like these, Mercedes’ EVs may just prove irresistible.