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2019-10-03 00:00:00.0

Iberdrola and Mercedes-Benz reach a strategic agreement to boost sustainability mobility in Spain

Punto de recarga Smart Mobility

The electric vehicle manufacturer will include Iberdrola's mobility solutions – home/company and public charging - in the marketing of all its new electric vehicles in Spain

In addition, they will work together to continue pushing forward the roll out of the public recharging network in Spain

Iberdrola is thus moving forward in its Sustainable Mobility Plan, which foresees the installation of 25,000 recharging points in the country in the run up to 2021 · In the case of Mercedes, its target for 2030 is for its electric models to make up more than half of its sales of the range, including electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids

Iberdrola and Mercedes Benz are strengthening their commitment to the electrification of transport following the signing of a strategic agreement that will allow both companies to continue to drive forward the roll out of electrical mobility in Spain, break entry barriers and promote “zero emissions” transport, by facilitating the move to electric vehicles.

The alliance is based on three pillars for the next 3 years, both in the home and companies charging segment and in the roll out of the public recharging network in the country.

It means that Mercedes-Benz will include Iberdrola’s mobility solutions - home and public charging - in the marketing process for electric vehicles in Spain. In the home, Iberdrola will supply and install recharging points for all customers of the new Mercedes-Benz EQ range and vans in a fixed-rate package, regardless of the specification of the home.

Also, Iberdrola will facilitate access to the public recharging network provided by the company under very special conditions, those established in its Energy Package, as well as including free charging for 6 months.

“The strategic agreement reached emphasises the importance of working together with all the players involved in sustainable mobility. With Mercedes Benz we have found a perfect ally with which to move forward in the start-up of recharging solutions to meet the challenges of electric mobility, based on clean energy free of CO₂ emissions,” explains Ángeles Santamaría, CEO of Iberdrola España. She also declares that “electrification of transport, added to the unstoppable growth of electricity from sustainable sources, will make a decisive contribution in the fight against climate change, and will reduce pollution and increase energy efficiency.”

Roland Schell, president of Mercedes-Benz España, states that “Daimler is reaffirming its commitment to electric mobility with the creation of the EQ brand - and with the launch of its EQC model is beginning its journey into the future. Our objective is to support the transition from the internal combustion engine to the electric vehicle by facilitating the installation of recharging points during the sales process. The signing of this agreement will allow Iberdrola and Mercedes-Benz España to combine their common interests to build solid foundations for a successful and strategically strong cooperation with a view to a sustainable future.”

Green energy and digital solutions

The collaboration agreement allows both companies to combine forces with an offer that simplifies and facilitates the customers’ decision to join the electric movement, allowing them to enjoy all the benefits of an electric vehicle from the moment of purchase.

Customers of Mercedes Benz’s new EQ range, moreover, will also be charging the batteries of their electric cars, both at home and companies and at the network of recharging points on the public highway installed by Iberdrola, with 100% green energy from clean generation sources, with a certified guarantee of renewable origin (GO).

Also, they will be able to recharge easily with their mobiles using Iberdrola’s recharging apps for home and public recharging, through which - in the latter case - drivers of electric vehicles can geo-locate, book and pay for their recharging.

Iberdrola, leaders in sustainable mobility

This strategic agreement is part of Iberdrola’s plans to promote and lead the transition to sustainable mobility and the electrification of transport as an effective way to decarbonize the economy.

The company is rolling out a Sustainable Mobility Plan that envisages the deployment of 25,000 electric vehicle charging stations in Spain by 2021, aimed at homes and businesses, as well as publicly accessible urban and suburban areas. The plan includes installing fast, super-fast and ultra-fast charging stations at least every 100 km on the country’s main motorways and highways during 2019, reaching all provincial capitals and making it possible to drive all the way across Spain in an electric vehicle.

Iberdrola is working on several initiatives to mobilise all the agents involved in sustainable mobility, from governments to institutions, companies and electric vehicle manufacturers.

The company has recently become the first Spanish business to subscribe to the The Climate Group’s EV100 initiative, with the object of accelerating the change towards electric vehicles with a commitment to electrify its entire fleet of vehicles and allow its staff to recharge at its businesses in Spain and the UK by 2030.

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About Mercedes

Mercedes-Benz is driving forward the transformation towards emissions-free mobility. Sustainability is one of the key elements of the brand’s corporate strategy and at the same time a reference point for the company's success.

By 2030, the target for Mercedes is that its electric models make up more than half of its sales in the range, including 100% electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. At the same time it also wishes to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions per vehicle. The R&D team is working both with established partners and start-ups to improve the performance of electric vehicles and reduce costs. The strategy also includes ongoing development of our mobility services to spread the use of electric models. As well as private cars, Mercedes is also electrifying its vans, lorries and buses. And the modular structure being developed allows for the rapid exchange of technology between its divisions. The current focus is on emissions-free mobility. As of today, nobody knows for certain which propulsion system combination will best meet the needs of customer drivers in 20 years’ time. This is why Mercedes and its preferential partners are encouraging the Public Authorities to level the playing field for technological neutrality: to define the goal, but not the means of achieving it.

Mercedes does not stop at seeking emissions-free mobility solutions. Its 56 factory is the prototype of the clean industrial facility: it uses renewable energy and will be carbon neutral from the start. In the future, all of its European plants will follow the same path by 2022. The new production plant in Jawor, Poland, demonstrates how sustainability and cost-efficiency go hand-in-hand: wind energy not only makes production more ecological, but also cheaper. Electricity from renewable sources will also be used for the manufacture of the EQC at the Bremen factory as well as the production of batteries at Kamenz, Saxony. A holistic vision of cutting carbon emissions also includes the recycling of raw materials. Mercedes vehicles have 85% recycling potential. In this way, Mercedes is changing from a value chain to a value cycle.

And these ambitious considerate production and sales processes can only be achieved if its suppliers and partners comply with this carbon neutral target. And to that end, others too. Mercedes will establish environmental policies as a key criterion in its decision-making as regards suppliers.

Another key factor for carbon neutral mobility is encouraging customers of the brand to recharge their vehicles with green energy. With Mercedes Me Charge, for instance, Mercedes is helping drivers to charge their cars at a number of public charging points in Europe, whenever possible, with energy from renewable sources. And this brings us to the importance of this agreement with Iberdrola since whoever signs up for the commercial offer linked to this agreement will have a certificate to show that the energy they consume for charging comes from renewable sources.

The transformation towards sustainable mobility in the future will only be a success if the automobile industry, energy suppliers and politicians work together. It requires significant investment and tangible actions beyond the automobile sector. Carbon neutral energy and an integral infrastructure are indispensable for this system change. For Mercedes-Benz, the Paris Agreement is more than an obligation - it is a conviction and a clear way forward has been established to help to prevent further acceleration of climate change.