Waiting to charge your EV can be a pain, but Mercedes-Benz is looking to make it a classier experience.
DC “fast chargers” outside Tesla’s Supercharger network are still a rarity in the U.S., though Mercedes-Benz is launching a new hub of 400 kW chargers. Aiming to set “a new standard for fast, convenient, clean and reliable EV charging, the automaker announced its first North American hub that offers more than just a set of charging stations — there’s a full-on lounge where you can relax while charging up.
The first station is now open in Sandy Springs, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb that’s also home to Mercedes’ U.S. headquarters. Apart from the actual 400 kW stations and lounge, the hub also has a solar canopy with LED lighting to shield drivers from the elements, as well as an uncovered spot for electric vans or those towing trailers up to 26 feet to pull up without having to unhook.
Another cool touch: The Mercedes-Benz charging hubs have “intelligent indicators” that will tell you whether the stalls are taken or not from the street. The charging lounge, for its part, offers couches and chairs as well as a restroom and vending machines.
This is just the first station in Mercedes’ plans, as the automaker plans to invest over $1 billion in a joint venture with MN8 Energy. The partnership will eventually build out 400 hubs with 2,500 individual charging stations. The next hubs will open up at Buc-ee’s travel center locations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Texas by the end of this year. Further hubs at Simon Mall locations will open in the first half of 2024.
Even if you don’t go to these hubs, at least greater investment should help public EV charging move in the right direction. It hasn’t always been the most pleasant experience, as Roman demonstrates below:
