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Mercedes-Benz opens first charging hub in Mannheim and cooperates with E.ON

As the first component of its own HPC charging network, the first charging park "with a star" is launching. Six HPC columns with up to 300 kW of power. Federal Minister of Transport Volker Wissing sees an important "step towards densifying the charging infrastructure." State Minister of Transport Winfried Hermann sees it as an "important signal."

Hub, Hub, Hooray: Mercedes-Benz opens its first own charging hub, in the presence of Baden-Württemberg's Minister of Transport Winfried Hermann (center). | Photo: Mercedes-Benz
Hub, Hub, Hooray: Mercedes-Benz opens its first own charging hub, in the presence of Baden-Württemberg's Minister of Transport Winfried Hermann (center). | Photo: Mercedes-Benz
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Johannes Reichel

The Swabian automobile manufacturer Mercedes-Benz today opened its first own charging hub in Germany in Mannheim. By the end of the decade, the Swabians plan to establish more than 2,000 of their own charging parks worldwide with over 10,000 fast-charging points. The new charging park in the Rhine-Main-Neckar region is located on one of Germany's most important traffic corridors and is part of the company's global commitment to expanding the charging infrastructure. Initially, only six charging points with a power of 300 kW will be available. Only one connector is used at a time to ensure that the maximum energy reaches the charging vehicle, according to the manufacturer. Thanks to intelligent charging management, every vehicle can be charged with the maximum available energy. Certain electric vehicle models are already capable of charging from 10% to 80% in less than 20 minutes.

For the establishment and operation of its own fast-charging network in Europe, Mercedes-Benz will rely on the energy and mobility expert E.ON as a partner. The charging hubs will be openly accessible for all vehicle sizes, from small cars to transporters, and for all vehicle brands, with preferential rates for Star customers, including free charging in the first months through the charging service.

"The opening of the first Mercedes-Benz charging park in Germany is an important step on our way to emission-free driving. By expanding the fast-charging infrastructure, we make it easier for our customers to switch to electromobility while setting new standards in electric vehicle charging," believes Franz Reiner, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Mobility AG.

On the occasion of the opening in Mannheim, Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and Transport (FDP), praised the manufacturer's commitment and welcomed the close cooperation between business and politics to support the ramp-up of electromobility in Germany.

"Charging must be as easy as refueling. Only then will we increase the willingness to switch to climate-friendly electric cars. It is the shared goal of politics and business to make electromobility attractive and everyday for citizens. We need a committed automotive industry that works with us to expand the charging infrastructure in a forward-looking way, in addition to delivering electric vehicles. We have already successfully reached our target of 100,000 public charging points for this year. The Mercedes-Benz charging park in Mannheim is an important step in densifying the charging infrastructure. I am particularly pleased that it is open to all users," explained Wissing.

The Minister of Transport of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Hermann, also expressed his clear commitment to promoting electromobility in Mannheim. In his view, the ramp-up of e-mobility requires a nationwide and demand-oriented charging infrastructure. Therefore, the willingness to invest in a high-performance charging network is a positive sign for the future of electromobility in our country,” explained Hermann.

Expansion of the global fast-charging network progresses

After Atlanta (USA), Chengdu (China), and Foshan (China), Mannheim is already the fourth fast-charging park that the manufacturer has put into operation worldwide. More will be launched by the end of the year, including in the USA and China. In Europe, additional locations in Germany will be opened in 2024, along with other charging parks in Italy, Spain, and France. By the end of 2024, the Swabians aim to expand their global fast-charging network to over 2,000 charging points, more than 200 of which will be in Europe. By the end of the decade, more than 2,000 charging parks with over 10,000 fast-charging points are planned worldwide.

Strategic partnership with E.ON

For a brand-appropriate charging experience in Europe, the company is relying on E.ON as a strategic partner. The energy company will support the search and planning of locations, construction, operation, and accompanying services of the fast-charging parks planned in Europe. This also includes smart solutions such as predictive maintenance of charging infrastructure based on artificial intelligence and, perspectively, other convenient functions for customers, ranging from advance reservations to Plug & Charge. Furthermore, as one of the largest energy providers in Europe, E.ON will contribute its expertise and extensive market knowledge in intelligent energy management and support in the area of energy supply.

Translated automatically from German.
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