Using An Adapter, EV Mercedes-Benz Owners In North America Get Faster Access To Tesla Supercharger

Mercedes-Benz EQS connects to Tesla Supercharger. (Doc. Mercedes-Benz AG)

JAKARTA In the middle of last year, Mercedes-Benz announced that it will gain access to Tesla's charging network, the Supercharger or adopting the North American Charging System (NACS) for the end of 2025.

However, EV Mercedes-Benz owners don't have to worry about waiting any longer because manufacturers have other solutions to have faster access to Tesla Supercharger.

Now, owners of Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles (EV) have access to the network in North America consisting of the United States (US) and Canada.

Launching from InsideEVs, Friday, February 7, the owner of the luxury car EV has access to the 15,000 Tesla Supercharger network by requiring an adapter of the NACS charger to the CCS1 port.

The German automaker has sold Lectron's adapter unit in its dealer network for US$185 (Rp3,019 million) or slightly cheaper if purchased directly for US$199.99 (Rp3,264 million).

To make it easier for users, Supercharger access has also been added to the Mercedes-Benz app via smart phones. Thus, the owner simply plugs in the charger without having to install other apps or change the settings in the car.

The majority of Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles have Plug & Charge features on Tesla Supercharger, meaning they can communicate with kiosks practically. However, some cars require software updates for this system to work.

The automaker did not say which model was affected, but the owner of the vehicle will receive a call to schedule a software update at the dealer.

In addition to the Tesla Supercharger, Mercedes-Benz has integrated several other charging providers into its smartphone apps, including Ionna, Electrify America, EVgo, and ChargePoint.

This means that the Mercedes-Benz electric car can now be compatible with more than 110,000 charging points across the US and Canada.