Photo: Daimler
One of Tesla's main advantages is the exclusive access its vehicles have to the ever-growing network of Supercharger stations - a network that spans the entirety of North America, Western and Central Europe, large parts of China, as well as a few other scattered locations.
The lack of charging infrastructure is probably the biggest obstacle most European carmakers who try to break into the U.S. EV market face, especially when the local brand has such a strong presence there already. However, there have been a few joint efforts lately that seek to boost the number of public or semi-public DC fast-charging stations across the country, and with the EQS electric sedan about to hit the dealerships, Mercedes-Benz is one of the most interested parties.
However, building the stations is only half the story - albeit the more important one - with the other half represented by the way this "ecosystem" interacts with the car. Well, Mercedes-Benz USA has just introduced the Mercedes me Charge, a charge service available to all EQS owners that will grant them access to virtually any charging station in North America as well as greatly simplify the process of planning a trip, finding a station, or paying for the charging session.
The great thing about the Mercedes me Charge is that it allows the user to set up only one account, and then have access to every network (a feature enabled by ChargePoint). What's more, the Mercedes me App will grant them full control from both the in-vehicle MBUX interface as well as their personal smartphone.
Mercedes me Charge enables access to nearly 60,000 public charging points. An additional 60,000 semi-public charging points (available in shopping malls, parking lots, hotels, etc.) make the Mercedes me Charge the largest in the country, though not all these stations will provide the maximum charging rates the EQS is capable of.
The ones that certainly will are those operated by Electrify America, which can deliver up to 350kW. To make sure EQS owners can profit from the quickest non-Tesla charging network, every Mercedes me Charge account will get an unlimited number of 30–minute charging sessions for the first two years after the activation. At this moment, Electrify America has 2,600 fast chargers throughout the country.
According to Mercedes-EQ, charging the EQS at 200kW - which is the highest rate it can take - will add 186 miles of range in just 15 minutes. That adds up to over 300 miles during the complimentary 30-minute sessions, though it's worth noting the figures are only provided by Mercedes at this point and are not sanctioned by any independent organization (like the EPA). The German carmaker claims the 107.8 kWh battery pack (usable capacity) will give the EQS a maximum range of 478 miles (770 km) WLTP, though we should get an EPA rating pretty soon as well since the electric sedan is scheduled for a market debut this fall.
However, building the stations is only half the story - albeit the more important one - with the other half represented by the way this "ecosystem" interacts with the car. Well, Mercedes-Benz USA has just introduced the Mercedes me Charge, a charge service available to all EQS owners that will grant them access to virtually any charging station in North America as well as greatly simplify the process of planning a trip, finding a station, or paying for the charging session.
The great thing about the Mercedes me Charge is that it allows the user to set up only one account, and then have access to every network (a feature enabled by ChargePoint). What's more, the Mercedes me App will grant them full control from both the in-vehicle MBUX interface as well as their personal smartphone.
Mercedes me Charge enables access to nearly 60,000 public charging points. An additional 60,000 semi-public charging points (available in shopping malls, parking lots, hotels, etc.) make the Mercedes me Charge the largest in the country, though not all these stations will provide the maximum charging rates the EQS is capable of.
The ones that certainly will are those operated by Electrify America, which can deliver up to 350kW. To make sure EQS owners can profit from the quickest non-Tesla charging network, every Mercedes me Charge account will get an unlimited number of 30–minute charging sessions for the first two years after the activation. At this moment, Electrify America has 2,600 fast chargers throughout the country.
According to Mercedes-EQ, charging the EQS at 200kW - which is the highest rate it can take - will add 186 miles of range in just 15 minutes. That adds up to over 300 miles during the complimentary 30-minute sessions, though it's worth noting the figures are only provided by Mercedes at this point and are not sanctioned by any independent organization (like the EPA). The German carmaker claims the 107.8 kWh battery pack (usable capacity) will give the EQS a maximum range of 478 miles (770 km) WLTP, though we should get an EPA rating pretty soon as well since the electric sedan is scheduled for a market debut this fall.
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