The German luxury automaker said at the CES gadget show in Las Vegas Thursday that it will start building the North American network this year at a total cost of just over 1 billion euros ($1.05 billion). When completed in six or seven years, the network will have 400 charging stations with more than 2,500 high-power plugs, the company said.

Networks in Europe and China and other markets will follow, with completion of the full network by the end of the decade, when the company intends to sell all-electric vehicles depending on market conditions. The full network will have more than 2,000 charging stations and over 10,000 plugs worldwide, Ola Källenius, chairman of Mercedes-Benz’s management board, told reporters.

The network will address customer concerns about not having enough range to get to their destination, and finding a working charging station, said Markus Schäfer, Mercedes’ chief technology officer.

While other charging networks are being developed, “We thought we had to go further and take the initiative here and create our branded global Mercedes-Benz network,” Schäfer said.

The charging hubs will be built in key cities and population centres, close to major roads and near retail businesses and restaurants. Some will be at participating Mercedes dealerships, the company said. “We know where our customers are in North America, we know where we’re selling electric vehicles,” Schäfer said.