BMW and Mercedes-Benz will jointly install at least 1,000 electric vehicle charging stations in China by 2026.

BMW and Mercedes-Benz have long been fierce rivals in the luxury car segment. However, in order to boost electric vehicle sales in the Chinese market, both companies have joined forces to establish a joint venture to build charging stations.

In a recent joint statement, Mercedes-Benz and BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) have established a 50/50 joint venture to build and operate a fast-charging network in China – the world’s largest electric vehicle market.

This joint venture aims to deploy at least 1,000 charging stations and around 7,000 charging poles by the end of 2026. The first charging station is expected to be operational by 2024.

Detailed information about these charging stations has not been disclosed, but both parties have stated that they will be utilizing the latest charging technologies. These charging stations will be able to accommodate charging plugs from various electric vehicle brands, but only customers of BMW and Mercedes-Benz will be able to use exclusive services, such as online reservations.

In the past 10 years, the electric vehicle market in China has experienced rapid growth, with a record-high sales volume of 6.8 million vehicles in 2022. Alongside this growth, the country has also added 649,000 public charging stations last year, accounting for over 70% of the newly installed charging stations worldwide.

Thái Sơn (Tuoitrethudo)

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