USA: BMW, Mercedes, Stellantis, GM, and Hyundai establish fast-charging network against Tesla
To accelerate the transition to a fully electric future in North America, seven of the world's leading automobile manufacturers – BMW Group, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz Group, Stellantis NV – have joined forces in a joint venture. The aim of the joint venture is to make charging electric vehicles more convenient and reliable, as stated. The joint venture involves the establishment of a new fast-charging network with at least 30,000 charging points, making emissions-free driving even more attractive to millions of customers. Since federal and state levels in the U.S. have been investing in public charging stations for several technological generations, the joint venture will utilize both public and private funds to accelerate the installation of high-power charging stations for customers. The new charging stations will be accessible to battery electric vehicles from all manufacturers that use CCS (Combined Charging System) or NACS (North American Charging Standard) plugs. They are expected to meet or exceed the requirements of the U.S. National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program. The goal is to build the leading network of reliable fast-charging stations in North America. The name is still unclear, and the investment amounts remain undisclosed.
“The fight against climate change is the greatest challenge of our time. What we need for this is speed – across the boundaries of politics, society, and business. To accelerate the switch to electric vehicles, we support everything that makes life easier for our customers," explained Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius.
The joint venture is expected to be established later this year, provided the necessary closing conditions are met, and the appropriate regulatory approvals are obtained. The first charging stations are set to open in the summer of 2024 in the USA and at a later date in Canada. Each location will be equipped with multiple high-power DC fast-charging points to facilitate flexible charging for customers on long-distance journeys. In line with the sustainability strategies of the seven automobile manufacturers, the joint venture intends to power the charging network entirely with renewable energy. The new fast-charging network is expected to significantly improve the charging experience and promote the acceptance of electric vehicles. The charging stations, with a focus on comfort and user-friendliness, will be established at easily accessible locations and, where possible, offer canopies and amenities such as restrooms, dining, and retail – either nearby or within the same building complex – as promised.
“We are convinced that a comprehensive charging network is crucial to protecting the freedom of mobility for all, particularly in realizing our ambitious plan for climate neutrality. An efficient charging network should be available to everyone - under the same conditions - and built together with a win-win approach," explained Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, as of July 2023, there were approximately 32,000 publicly accessible DC fast charging stations in the U.S., available for use by 2.3 million electric vehicles. This corresponds to a ratio of 72 vehicles per charging station. The NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) estimates that 182,000 DC fast charging stations will be needed to power the 30 to 42 million electric vehicles expected to be on the roads by 2030.
As the sales of electric vehicles in the U.S. are expected to account for more than 50 percent of total sales by 2030, the importance of expanding a reliable charging infrastructure for the widespread acceptance of electric vehicles continues to grow. The goal of the U.S. government is to have 500,000 charging stations by 2030.
“North America is one of the most important automotive markets in the world – with the potential to take a leading role in electromobility. The availability of fast charging stations is one of the key prerequisites to accelerate this transformation,” added BMW CEO Oliver Zipse.
So far, U.S. EV pioneer Tesla is by far the largest operator, with 18,000 so-called Superchargers. Most recently, the Musk company opened its chargers for external brands to secure access to public funding from a $7.5 billion pot. Mercedes-Benz and other manufacturers have since adopted the Tesla standard NACS. Regardless, the Stuttgart-based company is also pushing ahead with the development of its own original and global Mercedes charging network in collaboration with U.S. specialist ChargePoint, which is expected to include 10,000 stations primarily in the U.S. These plans are independent of the new joint venture, according to the statement. Additionally, the VW subsidiary Electrify America, as well as ChargePoint and EVGo, are major players in the U.S.
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