Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy hosts Plug and Charge demonstration

Event held Thursday at Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute's Ansan branch

PnC enables automatic authentication and charging via cable connection alone

Technology set to integrate with unified charging service MB.CHARGE Public

Mercedes-Benz Korea demonstrates Plug and Charge technology with the all-new electric CLA at an event hosted by the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy at the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute's Ansan branch on Thursday. [Mercedes-Benz Korea]
Mercedes-Benz Korea demonstrates Plug and Charge technology with the all-new electric CLA at an event hosted by the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy at the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute's Ansan branch on Thursday. [Mercedes-Benz Korea]

Mercedes-Benz Korea said Friday it successfully demonstrated Plug and Charge technology at an event hosted by the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy on Thursday at the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute's Ansan branch, using the all-new electric CLA, which is scheduled for a fourth-quarter launch.

The event, co-organized by the Korea Environment Corporation and the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute, was designed to verify whether automatic electric vehicle charging and payment technology based on a public authentication framework functions correctly across actual vehicles and chargers, and whether it remains compatible when the vehicle manufacturer and charger maker differ. Six electric vehicle models from domestic and overseas brands and three public fast chargers were used, with the all-new electric CLA taking part in the manufacturer-specific vehicle demonstrations.

Plug and Charge, or PnC, is an international-standard-based technology that automatically authenticates a vehicle through a certificate stored onboard when a charging cable is connected, initiates charging, and processes payment via a registered payment method once charging is complete. After a one-time setup — membership registration, payment method enrollment and vehicle certificate installation — drivers no longer need to tap a charging card or launch a separate app each time they use a PnC-compatible vehicle and charger.

Mercedes-Benz Korea plans to make PnC available on new electric vehicle models including the all-new electric CLA and the all-new electric GLC, targeting a domestic service launch in the first quarter of 2027.

In addition, Mercedes-Benz Korea is currently working with GS Chargevi to support public charging for electric vehicle customers through its integrated charging service MB.CHARGE Public. Customers can access the charging networks of GS Chargevi and its roaming partners, and through a single Mercedes-Benz app — without signing up for multiple charging services separately — can search for nearby charging stations, check real-time availability, find stations along a route via Electric Intelligence navigation, and review charging history.

Once PnC support is activated on compatible vehicles, MB.CHARGE Public customers will be able to enjoy a more seamless charging experience, with authentication and charging initiated simply by connecting the cable.

Mercedes-Benz Korea is offering buyers of 2026 model year and later battery electric vehicles a complimentary MB.CHARGE Public PLUS plan for up to one year. Under the plan, customers can charge at GS Chargevi and roaming partner stations at a flat rate of 199 won per kilowatt-hour for AC charging and 299 won per kilowatt-hour for DC fast charging, up to 400 kilowatt-hours per month.

Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz Korea has been expanding customer touchpoints through a range of marketing activities, including the recent launch of the "140th Anniversary Edition II" for its flagship SUV lineup — the GLE, GLE Coupe and GLS — marking the 140th anniversary of the automobile's invention.


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