It’s the first-ever charging hub in the United States by Mercedes-Benz. Is this a sign of a global electric car craze to come?
[Hero and featured image credit: Mercedes-Benz/Facebook]
Mercedes-Benz launches its first EV charging hub in the United States
Located in Sandy Springs, Georgia, the German automotive brand announced the first charging hub in the US for the people who visit their Atlanta headquarters. The move to expand across the Atlantic onto North America is not unprecedented, seeing the rapid growth of electric car users and manufacturers, but the speed of the market’s expansion, along with its charging network, is what makes this noteworthy for many.
Provided by ChargePoint, the hardware can charge electric vehicles at a speed of up to 400 watts. This enables specific vehicles to reach a battery capacity between 10% and 80% in just 20 minutes. The chargers are equipped with CCS1 and NACS connectors, allowing drivers to charge any electric vehicle available in the U.S. This means the charging station is available to be used by any vehicles of any manufacturer, and not just for Mercedes-Benz.
Mercedes-Benz users will get access to the ‘me Charge app’, allowing your vehicles to be registered and also reserve charging stations before you arrive at the location. Reserved spots will be indicated via a tall pylon accompanying each charging spot.
Along with a canopy for your car, each location comes with a luxury lounge filled with restrooms and refreshments so that waiting for your car’s battery to be filled never feels like a chore.
It seems that the expansion is more rapidly planned than we might have anticipated. More charging stations at travel centres in Alabama are already planned to be open by the end of 2023, and will be expanded to shopping malls in the first half of 2024. By 2027, Mercedes-Benz has plans to open more than 400 charging stations. If that is successful, we could potentially hear the news of more international expansion.
Tesla and Porsche are also in the race for electric cars, with plans of establishing their own charging network, although we’ll see if news of Mercedes-Benz’s rapid expansion will make them more motivated.
You can find more information at Mercedes-Benz.
Vichayuth Chantan
Digital Writer, Drinks and Dining
Writer by day and skinny legend by night, Vichayuth focuses on the hospitality industry of Thailand. You'll often find him at a bar finding new friends, discovering new drinks, and silently judging you from across the room.
