ABB and MAN demonstrate ‘Megawatt’ charging with new eTruck

The new eTruck range from MAN is compatible with the Megawatt Charging System (MCS), making quick charging stops during mandatory breaks much more helpful. To demonstrate this, an eTruck was equipped with a prototype MCS charger from infrastructure expert ABB, which reached a charging speed of 700 kW.

ABB and MAN still consider this a win, as it is the first time that a public charger has delivered over 700 kW and 1,000 amperes to an electric truck. However, the eventual goal of the MCS is to deliver up to 3.75 MW (3,750 kW) at 3,000 amperes, allowing for super-fast charging of trucks, buses, planes, and boats. The current, widely used CCS standard has a maximum of 400 kW.

Faster charging means smaller batteries

Electric trucks compatible with megawatt charging could recover most of their range during the mandatory driver stops, with a 10 to 80 percent charge in half an hour, just like modern electric cars can. This means smaller batteries can be used for the same helpful range in a day, allowing for a higher payload.

Of course, this all depends on the infrastructure. The European truckmakers, including Traton, MAN’s parent company, together with Volvo Group (Volvo Trucks & Renault Trucks) and Daimler Truck (Mercedes Trucks), formed an alliance in 2022 called Milence to create a fast-charging network –ideally with some help from the EU.

“The goal is 30,000 MCS charging points in Europe by 2030, around 4,000 in Germany. We put one of the first charging points into operation today. We don’t have much time left to set it up. The electric trucks are available, and the megawatt charging is working. We now need clear signals from politicians to build trust among our customers in favor of electrification. We now need to build and scale up the infrastructure quickly”, says Alexander Vlaskamp, CEO of MAN Truck & Bus.

A public roll-out of MCS chargers is expected by late 2024 or early 2025.