Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle owners will be able to use Tesla Superchargers starting in February.
An adapter will be sold at dealerships for a price of $185.
Mercedes-Benz announced that its electric vehicles will be able to access Tesla's Supercharger network starting in February. This announcement is part of a growing trend where automakers are facilitating access to charging infrastructure, initially through NACS to CCS adapters, which will later be integrated natively. The adapters will be available for purchase through dealerships, allowing electric vehicle owners to excitedly observe the increasing number of accessible public chargers, which, according to the latest count, totaled 20,000 stations in the United States and Canada.
This advancement is exclusive to residents of North America, as electric vehicle owners in Europe have already been able to use Tesla's Superchargers due to a more advanced stance on technological standards. With this announcement, Mercedes becomes the seventh manufacturer to access Tesla's renowned charging network, joining Ford, General Motors, Rivian, Volvo, Polestar, and Nissan. Although Mercedes had planned to be fully ready with Tesla by 2024, some leeway can be granted, considering Elon Musk's busy schedule last year. Additionally, Volkswagen also plans to open access during the summer.
The adapter, produced by the EV charging provider Lectron, will be priced at $185 at authorized dealerships. According to Mercedes spokesperson Andrew Brudnicki, Lectron's adapter is "the only adapter to date that has been tested for safety and compatibility with Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles" and "offers additional benefits for customers, such as a more robust interlock connection between the cable and the adapter compared to other similar adapters." After some issues with a defective closing pin that led to a recall of approximately 1,600 units last year, the company assured that those problems were resolved by April 2024.
Tesla Supercharger locations will also be integrated into the charging map of Mercedes in its app. Additionally, the system will be compatible with Plug & Charge technology, allowing charging to start automatically upon connecting the vehicle, with no additional steps or authorizations required. By the end of this year, Mercedes plans to launch its first models with factory-installed NACS ports, although it is still unknown which will be the first models. The company has a range of electric vehicles, from the luxurious EQS to the more affordable EQE and EQB, and even the iconic electric G-Wagen. Mercedes is involved in multiple electric charging expansion projects, including the installation of thousands of fast chargers in collaboration with solar company MN8 Energy and the joint venture Ionna, along with several other major original equipment manufacturers.
