Mercedes Parent Company Invests In Chargepoint To Back Electric Vehicle Push

By John Ainger
Bloomberg

Daimler AG invested in ChargePoint Inc., which operates a network of electric-car charging stations, as the Mercedes-Benz maker ramps up a push into battery-powered vehicles.

Daimler led a group investing $82 million in the Campbell, California-based company, with the funding aimed at boosting the number of charging points across Germany, France, the U.K. and Scandinavia. As part of the deal, Daimler will appoint a director on ChargePoint’s board. BMW AG’s i Ventures and other existing investors also participated in the funding round, ChargePoint said.

Europe’s electric-car market is “going to eclipse the U.S.,” Chief Executive Officer Pasquale Romano said. “You’ve got much more maturity, much more availability in makes and models.”Daimler’s investment comes as the German automaker plans an ambitious expansion into electric cars, which have suffered from tepid customer demand due to high costs and concerns about driving range. Mercedes in September unveiled plans to invest about $10.5 billion in a line of battery-powered vehicles under the EQ subbrand. The push will feature at least 10 vehicles by the middle of next decade and comes as other carmakers like Volkswagen AG ready plans for a broader suite of electric vehicles.

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