Although it has been over two months since the launch of Mercedes-Benz’s top-of-the-line electric vehicle ‘EQS’, it was confirmed that the car was not compatible with the domestic charging infrastructure.EQS started shipping in Korea last month, and about 200 units have been delivered to customers. However, it cannot be charged at most open fast chargers operating in public facilities nationwide. The related industry blamed Mercedes-Benz for not undergoing sufficient charging tests before launching a new electric car, unlike other electric vehicles companies.
According to the industry on the 6th, Mercedes-Benz EQS is in a situation where charging cannot be done due to communication errors with many domestic fast chargers. The EQS started delivering to customers in December of last year, and the charging problem has not been resolved.
Chargers that are experiencing communication errors are public facilities such as the Ministry of Environment (Environmental Corporation), which operates the largest number of chargers in the country. The charger is a 50, 100, 200 kW level facility that is easily used by all electric vehicle customers. Due to this problem, EQS customers have no choice but to use only Mercedes-Benz charging stations and slow chargers (7kW class).
The industry pointed out that Mercedes-Benz Korea’s launch of EQS was done without sufficient charging test in advance. It is common to secure compatibility through preliminary testing since the power grid or communication environment is different for each country.
The head of a charger manufacturer’s research center said, “Usually, when a new domestic or foreign electric vehicle comes out, it goes through a compatibility test through the charger manufacturer in advance, but EQS did not go through that process. It seems that there is a problem with compatibility between power line communication (PLC), a fast charging communication method, and vehicle communication.”
Mercedes-Benz belatedly requested help from multiple charging companies after complaints from EQS customers were raised.
An official from Mercedes-Benz Korea said, “We have identified the cause of the charging compatibility problem raised at some facilities and will take appropriate action soon. The charging test was conducted by the German head office staff.”
The EQS is the highest-end luxury model among Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles, and the price of the vehicle ranges from KRW 177 million to 181 million. As a premium electric vehicle, it is equipped with world-class safety and convenience specifications and innovative digital elements.EQS (based on 450+ AMG) is rear-wheel drive and travels 478 km on a single charge based on the Ministry of Environment.
By Staff Reporter Taejoon Park (gaius@etnews.com)