Mercedes is launching a vehicle charging network, starting in North America

The automaker will begin construction in North America this year and aims to have 2,500 charging stations in most US states and 400 locations in Canada by 2027, the company said at the CES auto show in Las Vegas from Jan. 5-8.

The company will share with Goldman Sachs spin-off MN8 Energy, a renewable energy producer and battery storage operator, just under one billion euros ($1.06 billion) in required investments for North America by 2030. – How.

MN8 Chief Executive John Yoder said the company expects to turn a profit within five to seven years, perhaps if it receives grants or if occupancy rates are higher than expected.

Talks are ongoing with potential partners to expand the network in Europe and China.

According to July 2022 data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, there are about 140,000 public EV chargers in the United States.

Studies show that a lack of charging infrastructure discourages consumers around the world from purchasing EVs.

In Europe, where Mercedes-Benz is already part of a charging joint venture with Volkswagen, BMW, Ford and Hyundai called Ionity, the infrastructure is highly advanced, with around 375,000 charging points by the end of 2021, according to McKinsey’s study.

However, the study says the region will need at least 3.4 million charging points by 2030 to meet the expected demand.

Separately, Mercedes-Benz of California and Nevada has applied for Level 3 autonomous driving certification, which would allow electric vehicles to drive at speeds up to 60 kilometers per hour on appropriate highways or in heavy traffic. CES Auto Show.

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