Mercedes-Benz launches its offensive to challenge Tesla’s superchargers: locations, capabilities and ambitions

Mercedes-Benz announces the opening of its first “supercharger” in Mannheim. The German group wants to install more than 10,000 charging points in 2,000 “superchargers” by 2030.

It’s quite a symbol: Mercedes-Benz has chosen the place where Carl Benz invented the gasoline-powered car to inaugurate its first supercharger : Mannheim, Germany.

Booming fast-charging parks

The announcement made by Mercedes-Benz at CES 2023 may have gone unnoticed among all the announcements from the tech event. The Stuttgart carmaker has revealed that its first fast charging parks will open in autumn 2023. The cities chosen to host these centers are not trivial: Atlanta in the United States, Chengdu in China, and of course, Mannheim in Germanybirthplace of the first gasoline-powered car.

But the ambitions of the star brand do not stop there. By the end of 2024, more than 2,000 fast charging points will expand this global network. And by 2030, Mercedes-Benz aims to set up more than 10,000 charging points within 2,000 Superchargers.

The charging stations installed by Mercedes-Benz are not simple installations. They will offer charging capacities ranging from up to 400 kW (on an 800 volt architecture)using systems such as CCS1, CCS2, NACS and GB/T. Thanks to intelligent charging management, each vehicle could thus benefit from charging adapted to its maximum capacity.

Other Associations

Besides its own initiatives, Mercedes-Benz does not overlook the power of collaboration. In the United States, faced with the predominance of Tesla and its fast charging stations, the German brand has joined forces with six other manufacturers: BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Stellantis. This joint venture aims to establish a common fast charging network, in order to offer a solid alternative to Tesla and its Superchargers.

Today, with 18,000 Supercharger terminals distributed in the United States, representing more than 60% market share (source: US Department of Energy), Tesla enjoys a considerable lead.

In Europe, and particularly in France, Mercedes is no exception. With brands such as BMW, Ford, Porsche and Audi, it participates in the establishment of the fast charging network ionityone of the main challengers to Tesla’s Superchargers.

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