Mercedes-Benz Celebrates Launch of First Line of Electric Vehicles by Engaging Consumers to Create Clean Energy and Supporting STEM Education

To celebrate the launch of its first line of electric vehicles, Mercedes-Benz USA has developed an activation at the 2021 US Open to educate fans about its electrification efforts. The luxury automotive brand will engage tournament attendees to create and harvest clean energy that will be used to help power an upcoming exclusive event with global partner Alicia Keys. The Mercedes-EQ family of vehicles will combine sophistication, sustainability, high-end technology and style for an unprecedented fully electric luxury experience. The first vehicle from the line, the all-new 2022 EQS Sedan, will launch later this year.

As an official sponsor of the US Open, Mercedes-Benz will host fans in their Brand Center at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center from August 30 through September 12. Mercedes-Benz will invite fans to walk over a pathway of kinetic tech floor tiles, created in partnership with Pavegen, that will generate reusable clean energy with each footstep. As guests walk over the Pavegen floor tiles, the weight from their footsteps will compress an electromagnetic generator, which in turn will transform each individual footstep into a small amount of energy that is converted into clean electricity.

For each consumer who walks the pathway, Mercedes-Benz will make a $1 donation per footstep to The National Energy Education Development Project (NEED) to help bring sustainability resources to schools through curriculum and customizable programs. With support from Mercedes-Benz, NEED will expand its upcoming pilot curriculum around electric vehicles and create additional training for students and teachers across the country around electrification and the future of transportation. Additionally, Mercedes-Benz will randomly select one participant each day of the tournament to receive two tickets to attend the exclusive event later this year.

“Mercedes-Benz is committed to an electric future, and with the Mercedes-EQ family of vehicles, we’ve set our sights on the intelligent evolution of transportation that will help create a smarter way of living,” said Monique Harrison, Head of Brand at Mercedes-Benz USA. “We are excited to engage consumers to help us create clean energy and support NEED’s efforts to train and empower the next generation of the STEM workforce, and hope that with this initiative we will spark excitement from kids to take part in the future of electric transportation.”

“Partnering with Mercedes-Benz is a game-changing opportunity for NEED to share the excitement about electrification and electric vehicles with students and teachers around the United States,” said Mary Spruill, Executive Director at NEED. “This engagement at the US Open is harnessing the power of tennis fans to support these teachers and students as they learn about the electric grid and what infrastructure is needed to put more electric vehicles like the EQS on the road, helping to make the future of electric transportation incredibly bright and successful.”

As part of the activation, Mercedes-Benz will officially reveal the EQS, the first all-electric luxury sedan from Mercedes-EQ, to New York consumers with two vehicle displays at the Mercedes-Benz Brand Center. Fusing technology, design, functionality and connectivity, the EQS is the pinnacle of electric luxury, bridging the gap between elegance and sustainability. The first models being introduced to the U.S. market include the EQS 450+ and the EQS 580 4MATIC and will launch later this fall.

Fans will also have the chance to play a new visually stunning virtual reality tennis game which will feature an LED wall to display energetic movement as the match is played. Taking place on the iconic blue courts of the US Open, guests can use rackets with sensors to serve and hit a virtual ball back and forth in the Mercedes-Benz Brand Center.

About Mercedes-Benz USA

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), headquartered in Atlanta, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service for all Mercedes-Benz products in the United States. MBUSA offers drivers the most diverse lineup in the luxury segment with 15 model lines ranging from the sporty A-Class Sedan to the flagship S-Class and the Mercedes-AMG GT R. MBUSA is also responsible for Mercedes-Benz Vans in the U.S. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found at www.mbusa.com and www.mbvans.com.

Accredited journalists can visit our media site at www.media.mbusa.com.

About NEED

The National Energy Education Development Project promotes an energy conscious and educated society by creating effective networks of students, educators, business, government and community leaders to design and deliver objective, multi-sided energy education programs. NEED works with energy companies, agencies and organizations to bring balanced energy programs to the nation’s schools with a focus on strong teacher professional development, timely and balanced curriculum materials, signature program capabilities and turn-key program management.

In 1980, The NEED Project began as a one-day celebration of energy education when National Energy Education Day was recognized by a Joint Congressional Resolution. In the same year, President Jimmy Carter issued a Presidential Proclamation stressing the need for comprehensive energy education in our schools, a reduction of our dependence of fossil fuels, and increasing use of renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency. In the 40 years since, NEED has created a portfolio of over 150 curriculum modules dedicated to renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, the science of energy, electricity, transportation, energy efficiency, conservation, climate change, and energy careers.

For more information, please visit www.Need.org.

About Pavegen

Pavegen is the global leader in harvesting energy and data from footfall. Our mission is to enable people to change the world for the better through the simple power of a footstep. Our patented technology connects people to sustainability and smart cities, creating powerful experiences which convert footsteps into off-grid energy, rich data, and rewards. We call this the internet of beings, making cities smarter with every step.

Pavegen supplies both permanent installations and experiential activations and we power off-grid applications such as games, lighting, and environmental monitoring. With embedded Low-Power Bluetooth connectivity, we can register the footsteps of individuals via our apps. When we combine this real-time footfall data with analytics, we create powerful insights into the behaviours of people interacting with our systems.

Founded in 2009 by Laurence Kemball-Cook, Pavegen has delivered 200 projects in 30 countries, working with iconic brands including Adidas, Coca-Cola, Heathrow Airport, Shell, and Westfield. Our latest projects include working with Transport for London and New West End Company to create the world’s first smart street and partnering with Google to create the world’s largest energy and data harvesting array in Berlin. Our model, the V3, won the 2017 Smart Cities Interactive Innovation award at South by Southwest and the 2018 UK PropTech award for social impact.

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