Mercedes powers ahead with plan for charging network

Mercedes-benz plans to build a global network of 10,000 ultra-fast chargers in the latest effort by traditional automakers to rival Tesla as the electric-vehicle leader.

The company said it will begin adding the first stations this year in North America and later expand to Europe and China.

The units will have as much as 350 kilowatts of power, enough to add 20 miles of range per minute.

Ola Källenius, the chief executive of Mercedes-benz, said: “Our customers deserve a compelling charging experience that makes electric vehicle ownership and long-distance travel effortless. We won’t take a wait-and-see approach for this to be built.”