Mercedes-Benz Just Opened Its First EV Charging Hub in the U.S.
Mercedes-Benz’s charging network has made it across the Atlantic to North America.
The German luxury marque has just announced the opening of its first charging hub in the U.S. The station, which is located in Sandy Springs, Georgia, isn’t just for Mercedes drivers, either.
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Mercedes’s latest hub is located at its suburban Atlanta headquarters and is an enticing preview of what’s to come from the company’s planned charging network. The location’s hardware, which is provided by ChargePoint, will be able to charge EVs at a rate of up to 400W, allowing certain vehicles to go from 10- to 80-percent battery capacity in as little as 20 minutes. The chargers will also feature CCS1 and NACS connectors, which means drivers can use them to charge any EV currently on sale in the U.S., regardless of who built it, from day one.
The hub was designed to be as convenient and comfortable as possible. Each charger is connected to a 15-foot pylon that will indicate if it’s free, in use or reserved for another customer. Although open to all EVs, Mercedes customers will get priority at its hubs via the company’s me Charge app. Each location also features a solar canopy that will provide weather cover for customers and generate passive clean energy. Locations will also have a luxury lounge where customers can wait for their battery to top off, with refreshments, restrooms and, eventually, retail integration should you like to shop while you wait.
The Sandy Springs location is the first of several scheduled to open in North America before the end of the year. Right now, there are plans to open more hubs at Bucc-ee travel centers in Alabama, Florida Georgia before the end of 2023. Further expansion is expected during the first half of next year, including installing hubs at Simon Mall locations. The company plans to have 400 EV charging locations in operation by 2027.
Mercedes isn’t the only EV that’s set up its own charging network. Tesla has a network of chargers that extends to all 50 U.S. states. The number of locations is only growing too, with the company hoping to open a station in southern California that will have a diner and drive-in movie theater before the decade is over. Porsche also has plans for charging lounges of its own, but they’ve yet to open outside of Germany.
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