Electra Takes Over the Mercedes-Benz Fast-Charging Network in Europe
Mercedes-Benz has handed its European fast-charging network to the French operator Electra. The deal covers 47 sites with 374 fast-charging points, most of them in Germany, and makes Electra the second premium roaming partner for Mercedes drivers after Ionity, electrive reported on 3 November.
Key takeaways
- 47 locations and 374 fast-charging points move from Mercedes-Benz to Electra.
- 31 of the sites are in Germany and six are in Austria.
- Mercedes customers get discounted rates at more than 800 Electra sites with over 5,000 points in ten countries.
- No purchase price was disclosed.
What changes for Mercedes drivers
Mercedes drivers keep the charging routine they know, and the partnership took effect immediately. Through the MB.CHARGE Public service, Electra becomes a "Premium Partner", a status only Ionity held until now. That brings preferential prices and the option to reserve a charging point, and Electra sites appear in the car's route planner and in the Mercedes app.
Electra has already moved the former Mercedes hubs onto its own backend. Rebranding and the replacement of payment terminals are under way. Paul Tonini, Electra's general manager for Germany, said no employees are affected by the handover, and he could not say how long the partnership will run.
Why Mercedes is selling
Mercedes started its own charging network in 2023 with big ambitions. By September 2025 it ran 80 charging parks worldwide, and the target was more than 10,000 fast-charging points globally by the end of the decade. The first Alpitronic HYC1000 units went into sites at Hamburg-Wandsbek and the 24-Autohof in Woerrstadt.
In July 2026 the board decided to sell the European part, and the purchase agreement was reportedly signed on 3 August. In its Q3 2026 report, Mercedes valued the network at 99 million euros, including 73 million euros of fixed assets, against liabilities of 21 million euros. The company keeps its own charging networks in China and the USA for now.
Electra is buying scale
Electra entered Germany in May 2025 and has since grown its German network from 50 to 81 charging parks, an increase of more than 60 per cent. It also took over a site in Wertheim from HomE of Mobility. The company plans to invest 200 million euros in Germany in 2027 and aims for 15,000 fast-charging points across Europe by 2030.
Tonini argued that operators need size to survive. Without it, he said, "the costs would simply be too high for the revenue generated."
What it means for you
If you drive an electric Mercedes in Germany or Austria, the hubs you already use stay open, but the branding and card terminals will switch to Electra. Your MB.CHARGE Public contract now gives cheaper access to a much larger network, so check the in-car planner for Electra sites before a long trip. Prices still differ between partners, so compare the rate shown in the app with Ionity before you plug in.
Our Mercedes-Benz EQS page covers the background, and the Mercedes-Benz catalogue has the full range.
Sources
- electrive: Electra takes over Mercedes-Benz charging hubs in Europe (3 Nov 2026) (accessed 4 Nov 2026)
- electrive.net: Mercedes-Benz gibt Ladeparks in Europa auf, Electra uebernimmt (3 Nov 2026) (accessed 4 Nov 2026)
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