Mercedes-Benz is expanding its electrical vehicle (EV) charging network, teaming with another national retailer to offer drivers a place to recharge their cars along a critical west coast travel corridor spanning from Canada to Mexico.
Mercedes and Starbucks have entered into an agreement to electrify over 100 coffee shops stores across the country, with the first phase of the program located along Interstate 5.
Officials from both companies noted their shared ambition to identify additional opportunities in key markets, including core urban areas, charging deserts, and other critical travel corridors.
U.S. EV Expansion
“The collaboration between two leading brands like Mercedes-Benz and Starbucks will uplift the charging experience for all EV drivers,” said Andrew Cornelia, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging in a press statement. “Together, we seek to infuse delight into this facet of EV ownership through intentional experiences that make drivers genuinely excited to plug in.”
For Mercedes, the move is the latest expansion after the opened its inaugural charging site in November 2023 as part of an initial $1 billion investment to deliver 2,500 chargers within at least 400 charging hubs across North America by the end of the decade.
The German auto maker, in a joint venture with MN8 Energy to launch a network of premium electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across North America, inaugurated its first x-Benz Charging Hub at its headquarters in Sandy Springs, GA Nov. 15, 2023. The company current has a dozen locations with 400 kW speed charging across Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky.
Starbucks, Other Retail Partnerships
As part of its focus on retail integration initiative, several hubs have opened at Buc-ee’s travel centers in Texas, Florida, Alabama, and Georgia.
The agreement with Starbucks calls for the retailer to provide space in its parking lots for the charging stalls and other equipment. As for the financial on the Mercedes, 50 percent of the funding for all projects will be covered by MN8 Energy, an offshoot of Goldman Sachs Asset Management focused on solar power and energy storage.
The I-5 imitative is an extension of Starbucks’ renewable energy projects that to reduce carbon emissions 50 percent by 2030.
“At Starbucks, we have a long history of bringing renewable and clean energy projects to connect communities that lack this infrastructure,” said Michael Kobori, Starbucks chief sustainability officer. “Partnering with Mercedes is the next step in expanding our EV charging network so our customers can refuel sustainably while they enjoy Starbucks.”
Mercedes EV Charging Network
The Mercedes-Benz Charging Network is aiming to build more than 2,000 charging hubs with over 10,000 charging points by the end of the decade in the U.S., Europe, China and several other markets–all part of Ambition 2039, the Mercedes-Benz Group’s global commitment to create a carbon-neutral value chain by the end of the next decade.
The network in the U.S. is part of the Mercedes international plan for an international EV charging network. The company is in a joint venture with IONITY, which already comprises around 3,000 charging points in Europe.
Mercedes is expects to expand EV chargers to nearly half of the U.S. states over the next 12-18 months as it continues to find work with partners with leading brands to fill gaps in the charging experience, reimagine spatial design, and create market leading consumer offerings and experiences.
