Merc expands EV grid 
in South Africa

In the same week that Mercedes-Benz opened its first electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging hub in the US, as part of a $1-billion global roll-out, it announced it would invest in over 120 charging stations across South Africa.

The US hub, which offers 400kW charging speeds, is located at the company’s US headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, and is the first of a proposed 2,000 hubs Mercedes says it will install worldwide .

Mercedes-Benz South Africa is steadily expanding its EV range, having launched the EQ and EQ AMG models,and is now supporting this roll-out by investing in charging stations across the country.

South Africa is expected to have around 500 EV charging points by the end of the year, most installed by GridCars. Wille the likes of Nissan, BMW, and Jaguar Land Rover have installed their own charging stations – interoprable between manufacturers – charge points are now mainly being established by independent operators who partner with manufacturers.

GridCars and Rubicon dominate in this space, but Mercedes-Benz is partnering with Chargify, which is deploying AC and fast charging DC charging stations along the main routes between metropolitan areas. It is also installing these at airports, shopping malls, restaurant hubs, private hospitals, and residential estates.

The investment from Mercedes-Benz will total R40-million, split over two phases. The company provided this overview of its roll-out:

Phase 1 involves the installation of 67 Mercedes-Benz EQ branded charging stations across South Africa by quarter one of 2024. This investment is aimed at not only providing current customers with a reliable charging network but also instilling confidence in those considering the switch to electric vehicle ownership.

Phase 2 will see the implementation of over 60 additional charging stations, bringing the total to 127 Mercedes-Benz EQ-branded charging stations, strategically positioned in key areas.

Mark Raine, co-CEO of Mercedes-Benz SA, says: “Next to offering the most extensive and diverse all-electric vehicle portfolio in the market, we want to provide not only our customers but all EV drivers the luxury and peace of mind of a comprehensive charging network.”

Mercedes-Benz EQ branded charging infrastructure can already be spotted in Mthatha, Sandton, Champagne Castle, Pilgrims Rest; Courtyard Sandton, and Constantia. Installation is under way in locations like Plettenberg Hotel, Wilderness, Prince Albert, and Beaufort West. 

The strategy, clearly, is to enable EVs to traverse the entire country without range anxiety, and to charge up within cities as well.