The parties announced that the Chinese subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz and BMW-Brilliance will create a network of charging stations to meet the demand for charging services. Both auto giants will each have a 50 percent stake in the joint venture. No other financial details were provided as the project has yet to receive approval from China’s anti-monopoly authority.
Mercedes-Benz and BMW’s plan is to build at least 1,000 fast charging points and 7,000 charging slots by the end of 2026. Technical details about the terminals are not provided. It is known that electric cars and hybrids of all brands will be able to charge at the new points, and owners of Mercedes and BMW will receive exclusive services, for example, they will be able to book an outlet online.
The joint venture plans to purchase electricity from renewable energy sources, meaning Chinese customers will receive environmentally friendly electricity. The first batch of charging terminals from the Mercedes-Benz and BMW joint venture should be launched in 2024, the geography of the infrastructure is not disclosed, but we are talking about “key cities in China.”
Although Mercedes-Benz and BMW compete in most markets, in China the German auto giants have had to merge as local automakers have moved ahead. Tesla, Li Xiang, Xpeng, Huawei and Nio are investing hundreds of millions of dollars in their own networks, with plans that include 500-kilowatt terminals, networks with quick-swappable batteries, and conventional “superchargers.”
“Green” tomorrow Mercedes-Benz: seven cars that look into the future
