- Mercedes-Benz EVs join the list of non-Tesla cars that can use the Supercharger network.
- Owners in the U.S. will gain access to Superchargers in the U.S. and Canada in February.
- Canadian owners of Mercedes-Benz EVs will have to wait a little longer.
Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle drivers in the United States will gain access to over 20,000 Tesla Supercharger stalls in the U.S. and Canada next month. The DC fast chargers will be integrated into the Mercedes me Charge service, where the German automaker is already offering access to its own High-Power Charging network, as well as Ionna, Electrify America, EVGo, ChargePoint and others.
In total, Mercedes-Benz EV drivers in the United States will have access to over 110,000 public charging points across the United States and Canada. Owners in Canada will gain access to the Tesla Supercharger network later this year, according to the automaker.
To use the Supercharger network–which is widely regarded as one of the best DC fast charging networks in North America–Mercedes-Benz EV owners will need a NACS to CCS1 charging adapter, which will be available for purchase at dealerships this quarter for $185. The German company didn’t say what company supplies the adapter, but the official photos show a Lectron-made unit.
The Vortex adapter is sold by Lectron for $199.99, so Mercedes-Benz is offering a slightly better deal on it. The adapter is rated for a maximum of 1,000 volts and 500 amps.
Speaking about dealerships, some owners will need to pay them a visit. The automaker said that its EVs will support the Plug & Charge feature at Tesla Superchargers, meaning drivers will simply have to plug in and the charging session will start automatically–as long as a payment method is set up in the Mercedes-Bens smartphone app. That said, some vehicles–the company didn’t say which ones–will need a software update applied at the dealership to enable the Plug & Charge functionality.
Without the vehicle software update, owners will still be able to use Superchargers, but the charging session will need to be started and stopped via the smartphone app–because Tesla’s DC fast chargers don’t have displays or buttons. The company said it will contact owners directly to schedule service appointments.
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Compatible Tesla Superchargers will be integrated into the vehicles’ navigation system, where drivers will be able to see what stalls are available and what it costs to top up in real -time.
“By opening access to Tesla Superchargers in North America to our customers, we underline our commitment to providing our customers with as many charging options as possible,” said Franz Reiner, Chairman of the Board of Management at Mercedes-Benz Mobility AG. “The fast-growing network of charging points available in Mercedes me Charge will now expand to over 110,000 public charging points across the United States and Canada, providing Mercedes-Benz drivers with an industry-leading charging experience whenever and wherever they choose to charge.”
Later this year, Mercedes-Benz will ditch the CCS1 charging port that’s currently being installed in its EVs in favor of the Tesla-designed NACS connector. This will make the use of a NACS to CCS1 adapter redundant at Tesla Superchargers but will introduce the need for a CCS1 to NACS adapter if these vehicles will need to charge at other stations that don’t offer NACS cables.
