Mercedes-Benz Is Giving Up On Its EV Charging Network In Europe

In a silent transaction, the automaker sold its EV fast chargers to a local player, exiting the European market.

By: Iulian Dnistran

Nov 3, at 4:17am ET

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Mercedes-Benz no longer has its own EV charging network in Europe.
The automaker sold its EV charging hubs to a European provider.
As a result, the car manufacturer now relies on partnerships with third-party operators exclusively.

Mercedes-Benz has exited the EV charging market in Europe, selling its network to French operator Electra. The move was disclosed in the automaker’s third-quarter financial report, where the German brand said that the assets associated with the business were valued at €99 million ($111 million).

The sale, first reported by Electrive, means that Mercedes-Benz will now rely on external partnerships for EV charging exclusively in Europe. The car manufacturer’s proprietary EV network had 374 fast-charging ports at 47 locations across the region, all of which are now part of Electra’s growing network.

Mercedes-Benz Charging Network

As part of the transaction, Electra is now a “Premium Partner,” second only to Ionity. What’s more, Mercedes-Benz EV drivers can now charge at discounted rates at over 5,000 Electra chargers across 800 locations in several European countries.

The German automaker’s fast charging business in the United States is unaffected by the European sale. That said, the move shows that Mercedes-Benz is no longer willing to invest its own money into building a premium charging experience. Instead, it’s relying on big partners like Ionity, which is already one of the best-performing networks in Europe.

One reason for the sale may be economies of scale. Paul Tonini, Electra’s General Manager for Germany, told Electrive that the market is increasingly consolidating around larger providers, which means that relatively small players like the now-defunct Mercedes-Benz Charging Network in Europe have a hard time keeping finances in check.

The bigger the network, the larger the potential for income. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz gets premium access to the network it used to operate, as it looks to expand its partnerships with third-party providers, offering EV owners discounted rates at more than one network.

The Mercedes-Benz Charging Network launched just three years ago, with a goal of having over 10,000 fast chargers globally by the end of the decade. The company uses high-powered charging equipment from Alpitronic, with the majority of sites having 400-kilowatt dispensers. Earlier this year, the first 1,000-kilowatt-capable stalls were installed at charging parks in Europe and North America.

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This past weekend, the former Mercedes-Benz stalls have been integrated into Electra’s network. The card payment terminals will be replaced soon, and the station branding will also be changed to reflect Electra’s ownership.

In the United States, Mercedes-Benz’s High-Power Charging network has 748 charging ports at 80 locations, according to the Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center. Additionally, 62 ports at eight stations are available in Canada.