Mercedes-Benz Announces North American Charging Network and Tech Updates at CES 2023

The Chief Technology Officer at Mercedes-Benz, Markus Schäfer, announced plans for the new charging network during his tech talks at CES 2023. Initially, it will be rolled out in Europe, followed by China and other main markets. The North American one is planned to be completed by 2027 – it will be comprised of over 400 hubs with more than 2,500 high-power chargers. They will be strategically placed in convenient areas close to major intersections, motorways, or metropolitan areas.

The hubs will come complete with food outlets and restrooms nearby. They are designed to offer a safe charging point, as they will be equipped with surveillance cameras and other measures.

They will provide between 12 and 40 chargers with 350 kW charging power, depending on the region and location. Through intelligent charge-load management, the chargers allow a maximum capacity charge for each vehicle and minimize waiting times.

Rest assured, other electric car brands will be able to use the charging network. However, if you own a Mercedes-Benz, you're entitled to special benefits, such as reserving a charging spot.

Sustainability is at the core of the German brand – its business strategy, "Ambition 2039," makes it clear that the company has embarked on a full and rapid electrification of its products. Mercedes-Benz set the target of making its fleet of passenger cars carbon-neutral over their entire life cycle by 2039.

In line with this strategy, the company enables its customers to charge green at the charging network. Energy will be supplied through green electricity supply contracts or via renewable energy certificates. For North America, Mercedes-Benz has selected MN8 Energy and ChargePoint as partners, two of the leaders in the fields of energy and charging networks, respectively.

Part of the electricity needed for the operation of the charging hubs will also be provided by photo-voltaic systems installed on roofs.

Next up, the most efficient Mercedes-Benz also made its appearance at CES 2023. I'm talking about Vision EQXX, the brand's special research vehicle. Last year, it proved its capabilities to the automotive world. It carried out multiple journeys of over 1,200 km (745 miles) on a single battery charge. The vehicle achieved an average energy consumption of 8.3 kWh per 100 km (7.7 miles per kWh) while driving from Stuttgart, Germany, to Silverstone, U.K.

Mercedes-Benz also announced its new Automatic Lane Change (ALC) feature would debut on the North American market this year. It will allow the car to change lanes and overtake slower vehicles when cruise control is engaged. The feature comes as an addition to the Mercedes-Benz SAE Level 2 partially automated driving function.

Let's imagine you're behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz and want to use this feature. You'll have to set the speed of the Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC (the adaptive distance cruise control function), and then the Active Steering Assist kicks in and takes control. The radar sensors and cameras help the car detect its surroundings and carry out the lane change. The car can assist in switching back to the original lane if necessary. Furthermore, ALC can make sure you don't miss your exit by positioning you in the appropriate route.

The brand's customers in the U.S. states of Nevada and California will soon be able to use SAE Level 3 conditionally automated driving. The Drive Pilot can take control of the car at speeds of up to 60 kph, and drivers can focus on other activities, such as watching a movie or browsing the web. Keep in mind that the feature will only be available on suitable motorway sections where traffic density is high. DMV Nevada was the first to approve the application, and Mercedes-Benz is expecting California to follow soon.

Lastly, Mercedes-Benz is optimizing in-car entertainment via different collaborations. Its partnerships with Apple Music, Universal Music Group, and Dolby Laboratories, Inc. aim to innovate sound in Mercedes-Benz vehicles. For instance, a Mercedes-Benz is the first non-Apple device to offer Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos by Apple Music natively.

The company is also upgrading in-car content streaming to a new level. It revealed details about the brand's partnership with digital entertainment platform ZYNC at the CES 2023 tech talks. The goal is to deliver fresh, curated content and embedded streaming specific to the North American market. Basically, ZYNC integrates streaming services on a single platform, allowing simple and quick access to content.

CES 2023 takes place in Las Vegas from January 5 to January 8 - you can discover more about the technologies I presented above at the Mercedes-Benz booth or on the company's official website.