- The two German automotive giants have announced plans to co-develop a high power EV charging network, within China, a move aimed at challenging the dominance of local charging companies and foreign rivals such as Tesla.
- The new charge points will benefit all Chinese EV owners thanks to their open access, though Mercedes and BMW owners will be granted privileges such as reserved charging.
- The scheme begins in 2024, aiming for 7,000 fast charging points, spread across 1,000 individual charging stations by 2026.
With over 760,000 rapid chargers in China, according to research from the IEA, BMW and Mercedes have seized their opportunity to enter a lucrative market. The venture is set to begin in providing the partnership passes regulatory approval. Whilst the charge points will be open for owners of all EV brands to use, Mercedes and BMW owners will be granted exclusive rights such as reserved charging.
The move would help claw back at Tesla’s EV charging market share in China, where it has over 10,000 charging points. The announcement comes just days after Tesla announced it would continue to open up its Superchargers to non-Tesla EV owners in China.
The two companies have not announced, specifically, where the first chargers will be installed initially, but noted that they would be in ‘top NEV regions’ before a wider rollout. This would suggest cities such as Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing will be the first to see the new joint charging solutions.
Chairman of the Management Board at Mercedes-Benz Mobility AG, Frank Reiner, said:
“We at Mercedes-Benz Mobility AG are committed to expanding a future-oriented charging infrastructure – and the planned joint venture definitely underlines our clear commitment to electromobility.”
