Mercedes-Benz is working on a long line of luxury electric vehicles (EVs) and a global network of chargers. However, public charging still isn’t as efficient as consumers would like. Home charging is the best way to fully charge an EV, but having the right module is important. Mercedes is bringing its Wallbox home charger to North America for seamless charging.
The Wallbox is an Internet-connected charging station that can be installed on a garage wall. It connects to any standard outlet and comes with a 23-foot cord, making it easy to plug in even in the tightest spaces. The box itself is small, just bigger than the average basketball. You know, Europeans might be on to something when they say Americans will use any form of measurement except the metric system — anyway, the cord can fit EVs and plug-in hybrids.
The charging station runs through an app. It can start and stop charging sessions, track charging rates, and receive over-the-air updates to improve usability and functionality.
“Mercedes-Benz is committed to providing our customers with a variety of convenient, simple, and fast charging options, whether at home or on the road,” Markus Rossmann, senior manager of charging solutions at Mercedes-Benz USA, said. “The Mercedes-Benz Wallbox is a beautifully designed and intuitive tool that offers our customers more flexibility and functionality when charging through its advanced integration with the Mercedes ‘me connect’ app.”
Photo Courtesy Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes drivers who purchased a 2023 EQS or EQE model in the first quarter of this year will receive a complimentary Wallbox. The German company says the device delivers 11.5 kW on a 240-volt split circuit and is eight times faster than conventional outlet charging.
Mercedes has made it its mission to establish a greater EV presence in North America.
In addition to the Wallbox, the company plans to install 400 Charging Hubs around the U.S. and Canada. The first one launched at the MB Headquarters in Sandy Springs, Georgia.
By 2030, its novel charging network should have more than 2,000 hubs globally and over 10,000 charging points in the U.S., Europe, and China. Mercedes is also part of the Ionna charging joint venture with six other automakers, which wants to open more than 30,000 charging stations in North America.
Home charging offers many benefits to EV owners. It saves them money on public charging, gives them more control, can extend an EV battery’s lifecycle, and can increase a home’s value. Home charging may also offer a solution to solving range anxiety and the slow deployment of high-performance public chargers.
Photo Courtesy Mercedes-Benz
“With our own Mercedes-Benz Charging Network, we are expanding the global charging offer for customers of all-electric vehicle brands and making an important contribution to sustainable mobility, Franz Reiner, chairman of the board of mobility at Mercedes-AG, said in a statement. “In doing so, we are setting a new standard for a premium charging experience and thus also promoting the acceptance and further spread of electric vehicles.”
“Our charging network is accessible to all vehicle brands from day one and enables all customers to charge as quickly as possible,” he continued. “In North America, we are focusing specifically on regions where many electric vehicles are already on the road and areas where there is a foreseeable growing need for additional charging services.”
