LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mercedes-Benz says it will build its own worldwide electric vehicle charging network starting in North America in a bid to compete with EV sales leader Tesla. 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,…