Scania has successfully installed and tested a pilot megawatt charging system (MCS) from ABB E-mobility. The technology is said to cut the charging time for heavy-duty vehicles by half.

The initial testing, to prove the technical viability of high-current charging, will result in the progressive deployment of high-power chargers, starting at 1500 A and eventually extending to the full MCS scope of up to 3000 A. MCS is a charging standard that Scania and ABB E-mobility have helped develop in collaboration with CharIN, and is expected to be published next year.

MCS technology is key for long-haul electric trucks, where driving and resting times are regulated by law. A vehicle can be driven for a maximum of 4.5 hours before the driver needs to take a 45-minute break, and during that time the truck needs to charge with enough power to operate for another 4.5 hours. Owing to the size of truck batteries, fast and high-power charging is therefore essential.

From this year Scania will be offering trucks with the MCS pre-standard connector to customers with specific needs, with production set to begin next year. ABB E-mobility will introduce the next iteration of its MCS technology in late 2024/early 2025.