The Megawatt Charging System was unveiled four years after the Task Force for Heavy Duty Charging for Commercial Vehicles was launched at the first CharIN North America Conference with a colourful demonstration on an Alpitronic charger and a Scania 100% Electric truck.
MCS, or Megawatt Charging System, is a global solution for heavy duty transportation that is based on internationally matched objectives and a technical specification to define the requirements for a worldwide standard, with the standard’s final publication planned in 2024.
With their knowledge in Megawatt Charging, international professionals, many of whom are CharIN members, have contributed to this progress. Many members’ and users’ CCS experiences, as well as their extensive understanding of the communication protocol, interoperability, and functionality, help pave the road not just for trucks, but also for maritime vessels, aeronautics, and mining.
Another notable achievement of the CharIN MCS Task Force was universal agreement on a single position for the MCS Connector on all vehicles. This will be implemented by all MCS manufacturers.
A consortium of interested business and research institute partners has already begun a pilot project in Germany, the HoLa project, to test Megawatt Charging for long-haul trucking in real-world situations and to learn more about the European MCS Network need. MCS combines the advantages and characteristics of the ISO/IEC 15118-based Combined Charging System (CCS).
In the near future, MCS will meet the truck and bus industry’s need for fast charging. The standard is critical for battery-electric long-haul vehicles, but it will also be used in other heavy-duty industries such as maritime, aerospace, mining, and agriculture.
