German luxury carmaker integrates access to 9,000+ DC fast chargers as EVs gain traction at the top end of its portfolio.
14 Jan 2026 | 531 Views | By Ketan Thakkar & Prerna Lidhoo
Mercedes‑Benz India, the country's largest luxury car maker, has rolled out MB.Charge in India, a unified public charging ecosystem. The service integrates access to more than 9,000 DC fast chargers, including those from third parties, across the country, and allows Mercedes‑Benz EV customers to locate, authenticate, charge, and pay ...
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Mercedes‑Benz India, the country's largest luxury car maker, has rolled out MB.Charge in India, a unified public charging ecosystem. The service integrates access to more than 9,000 DC fast chargers, including those from third parties, across the country, and allows Mercedes‑Benz EV customers to locate, authenticate, charge, and pay through a single interface, eliminating the need for multiple third‑party apps and prepayments.
The system, which has been under development for around 18 months, allows customers to initiate charging directly from the vehicle’s head unit, or the Mercedes‑Benz app, with payments processed seamlessly after charging through the company’s digital ecosystem.
“Discoverability, connectivity, multiple apps, and fragmented payments were the four biggest pain points for EV customers in India, and we have solved all four with MB.Charge,” said Santosh Iyer, managing director and chief executive officer of Mercedes‑Benz India.
The rollout of MB.Charge comes as Mercedes‑Benz deepens its push into electric mobility, particularly in higher segments. EVs currently account for around 20 percent of the company’s top‑end sales, driven by favourable taxation, and a strong value proposition compared with internal combustion engine models.
“You discover the charger, you charge, and you pay – everything is seamless, very similar to the Tesla Supercharger experience,” Iyer said, adding that the service will be available free of cost to all existing Mercedes‑Benz EV customers in India.
“At the top end, EVs make a lot of sense because of the GST advantage, and the pricing difference versus comparable ICE vehicles,” Iyer said, citing strong demand for models such as the EQS sedan, and EQS SUV.
While EV penetration in the broader Indian passenger vehicle market has grown more slowly than initially expected, Mercedes‑Benz said customer acceptance in the luxury segment has been stronger, with buyers increasingly evaluating EVs on total cost of ownership, rather than just range.
“Luxury EV customers are buying the car as a complete TCO proposition, and that is where the equation works today,” Iyer said. Mercedes‑Benz said MB.Charge will play a critical role in addressing range anxiety, and improving everyday usability, especially as the company prepares to expand its electric portfolio further over the next two years.
The automaker plans to launch 12 new vehicles in 2026, spanning both electric and internal combustion powertrains, while continuing to prioritise higher segments, and sustainable profitability over volume growth.
“We are not chasing volume for the sake of it. We are building the right ecosystem, and the right products for customers who see value in technology, luxury, and sustainability,” Iyer said.
Mercedes‑Benz said the charging ecosystem will continue to expand as more operators are added, reinforcing its long‑term commitment to electric mobility in India, even as policy support and charging infrastructure remain critical to wider adoption.