Mercedes Benz Fast Charger Set to Rival Tesla V4 Supercharger
The new Mercedes Benz fast charger is likely to rival the Tesla V4 supercharger. Mercedes Benz has put forth a plan to begin operations at three different locations across the globe by October. The stations will be located in Chengdu, China; Mannheim, Germany; and Atlanta, USA. The charging stations will be equipped to support “400 kW, provided via the respective standard charging systems CCS1, CCS2, NACS, and GB/T.”
They went with high-traffic zones for the charging stations so that it may be a convenient resource for people in those areas. The company plans to expand fairly quickly with a goal of 2,000 stations by the end of 2024. Furthering that number to 10,000 by the end of the decade. To increase the convenience of the charging stations, Mercedes also plans to collaborate with dealerships and facilities that can offer other amenities such as snacks, drinks, wifi, and WC.?
According to bgr.com, Franz Reiner, Mercedes-Benz Mobility AG CEO said in a statement:
“We firmly believe that electric mobility is the key to a sustainable, zero-emission future. Our goal is to create an infrastructure that offers electric vehicles reliable and easy charging options. In this way, we are actively supporting the transformation to electric mobility. With the Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging Network, we are expanding global charging options and setting new standards in electric vehicle charging. We want to encourage our customers to switch to zero-emission vehicles and thus make a positive contribution to protecting our environment.”
The Tesla V4 supercharger has been an innovative push in the world of EV charging. It has opened the doors for competitors to also break through barriers and offer convenient charging options. The V4 supercharger is currently limited to 250kW, though there are plans for the chargers to increase output to 350kW. This would make it highly convenient for Tesla drivers but even with the increase the new Mercedes charging stations will have the upper hand. Tesla also has a less universal approach compared to other manufacturers, such as Mercedes. This opens charging stations such as the Mercedes one to attract drivers of all EV vehicles much like a gas station would. This is likely the future of fast charging, only it is starting to happen now.