Designwerk Technologies AG is developing a brand-new megawatt charging system. It has been intended to charge e-trucks in 45 minutes or less. The partnership-based pilot project’s goal is to create e-trucks capable of long-distance travel while reducing the load on power networks. A new charging standard for big commercial vehicles serves as the technological foundation.
The container-sized charging station is set to begin charging e-trucks in the spring of 2023. It is estimated to be up to six times quicker than traditional 350 kW high-capacity charging stations. Peak demand is handled by integrated battery buffers. Another goal is for the charging stations to function in a way that benefits the energy system. The Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) and important industrial partners give scientific assistance for these technological breakthroughs. The Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) and the University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland are involved in the project’s research (OST).
“A new kind of charging infrastructure is needed for long-distance trucks in particular, as well as for ships and aircraft. It is different from the infrastructure for electric cars and makes it possible to charge heavy commercial vehicles in a short time. This helps to ensure that zero-emission freight transport reaches every field of application,” explains Vivien Dettwiler, a member of the Designwerk management. In order for the system to find the necessary acceptance, it is based on the new charging standard called the Megawatt Charging System, or MCS for short. This was launched globally in June 2022.
“We install Second Life e-truck batteries in our charging containers as a buffer to cope with peak demand. This not only eliminates the need to expand the grid, it also means that the battery system should be able to feed renewable electricity back into the grid,” Dettwiler says. Electromobility, like bidirectional charging, may therefore be included into supply solutions. Galliker Transport AG, Käppeli Logistik, and Murg Flums Energie will use demonstration systems to illustrate that this works
