Mercedes-Benz bundles charging services under MB.CHARGE
Mercedes announced the switch from Mercedes me Charge to the new MB.CHARGE Public service will be completed by mid-March. From April, the new service will also be available to fleet and business customers, including a charging fleet portal.
That means existing ‘Mercedes me Charge’ contracts will be automatically converted to the same tariff in MB.CHARGE Public. Current Mercedes me Charge RFID charging cards remain valid and functional. With over 2.3 million charging points from more than 1,600 charging station operators, customers will “have easy access to one of the largest charging networks in the world through MB.CHARGE Public,” the carmaker states in its press release.
Mercedes is not just trying to impress with the number of charging points, but also to demonstrate the technological intelligence of its vehicles by combining intelligent navigation and an integrated digital charging service. “The charging functions are seamlessly integrated into the MBUX multimedia system and the Mercedes-Benz app, allowing operation through a single user interface. The deep vehicle integration and connectivity with the charging infrastructure make public charging easier and meet key customer requirements for electromobility,” the manufacturer explains.
For example, the MBUX navigation system will not only display the availability of charging points, but also use the information to plan “the fastest and most comfortable route including charging stops” – an aspect that caused problems in our tests more than once in the past. And customers should be able to conveniently start the charging process using an RFID card, app, Plug&Charge or the MBUX system in the vehicle. The estimated costs to reach the maximum charge level should be displayed in the MBUX system to increase transparency.
Mercedes will also introduce a reservation function for its customers at its own charging stations, starting in Germany and the US. Users can reserve a charging point at a Mercedes charging park as early as 15 minutes before reaching it. The reservation function is currently free of charge. However, Mercedes expressly “reserves the right to make the reservation chargeable in the future.” After Germany and the US, “further rollouts are planned for 2025, with the long-term goal of establishing around 10,000 charging points by the end of the decade.”
When the service is also available for fleet and business customers from April, MB.CHARGE Public will offer a web-based charging fleet portal for fleet managers on top of the familiar basic functionalities of the private customer solution. Charging contracts, RFID cards, transactions and invoices can be managed centrally there. The B2B solution for MB.CHARGE Public will initially be available in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. Mercedes-Benz plans to roll out the service in other European markets during the year.
“Our goal is to provide an exceptional charging experience,” says Franz Reiner, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Mobility AG. “By covering all customer touchpoints during charging with our electric vehicles, the integrated charging service, and our own Mercedes-Benz Charging Network, we create a fully connected charging experience with exclusive benefits. MB.CHARGE Public is the central link in this digital and connected charging infrastructure.”
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