Mercedes-Benz on Wednesday announced plans to introduce a new ultrafast charging system in partnership with Alpitronic, designed to make charging times closer to refueling at a petrol station. The rollout, set to begin in 2026, aims to improve convenience for electric vehicle (EV) drivers while challenging rival networks from Tesla and BYD.
The HYC1000 system uses a modular, decentralized design, delivering up to 1,000 kW of power shared across multiple points. Each charging stall can supply as much as 600 kW at 800 volts, allowing a Mercedes-Benz CLA to gain 325 km of range in just 10 minutes. “The HYC1000 takes a different approach with a modular, decentralized design,” Mercedes said.
By pooling power in an external unit rather than limiting it to individual columns, the system enables more vehicles to charge quickly at the same hub. That is nearly three times faster than Tesla’s current V4 Superchargers, reducing queues and offering drivers shorter, more predictable stops on long trips.
The carmaker said the chargers will be compatible with both CCS and Tesla’s NACS connectors and open to all EV brands, while Mercedes customers will gain added benefits such as navigation-based charging recommendations and the option to reserve a slot.
Mercedes-Benz plans to expand its existing 80 charging hubs across the U.S., Germany and China to eight additional countries, with a goal of installing 10,000 ultrafast charging points worldwide by 2030. The expansion, it said, will make high-speed charging more accessible and reduce range anxiety for EV adoption.
Source: Mercedes-Benz, Inside EVs