On Thursday, BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. and Mercedes-Benz Group China Ltd. announced that they had agreed to establish a 50/50 joint venture in China to operate a high-power charging network. The aim is to provide Chinese customers with premium charging services.

The joint venture aims to establish a network of at least 1 000 high-power charging stations with around 7 000 high-power charging piles by the end of 2026, adopting state-of-the-art charging technologies.

The first stations are expected to open for business in 2024 in top new energy vehicles or NEV regions, with further stations to be installed nationwide. Of course, the deal is subject to approval by regulatory authorities.

For all

The premium charging network will be open to the broader public. Still, it’s the intention that BMW Group and Mercedes-Benz Group customers will enjoy a series of exclusive features, such as plug & charge and online reservations for a seamless digital experience.

The joint venture intends to procure electricity generated from renewable sources, where conditions allow, to create a sustainable and eco-friendly charging experience.

Both BMW and Mercedes-Benz will apply the expertise gained from global and Chinese charging operations and an in-depth understanding of the Chinese NEV market to deliver fast, convenient, reliable, and tailor-made charging solutions for the Chinese market. The cooperation is intended to elevate the customer’s public charging experience.

It is not specified whether the new joint venture will use the Mercedes high-power charging stations it is already starting to deploy in Europe, the US, and China.

Depending on the region, the Mercedes charging stations offer charging rates up to 400 kW, provided via the standard charging systems CCS1, CCS2, NACS, and GB/T. Thanks to intelligent charging management, each vehicle can be charged at its maximum power rating. The aim is to reduce the charging time for customers to an absolute minimum.

The charging market is evolving

The joint venture for charging infrastructure is not the first of its kind. One of the first was Ionity, a high-power charging network involving several car manufacturers and other partners.

In the States, seven of the world’s leading automakers, BMW Group, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz Group, and Stellantis NV, are creating a joint venture to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles in North America by making EV charging more convenient, accessible, and reliable.

The joint venture there will include the development of a new, high-powered charging network with at least 30 000 chargers. It aims to become North America’s leading network of reliable, high-powered charging stations.

The first stations are expected to open in the United States in the summer of 2024 and Canada at a later stage. As in China, the joint venture in the U intends to power the charging network solely by renewable energy.