Scania and ABB E-mobility are testing the development of a megawatt charging system

Megawatt charging, often called MCS (Megawatt Charging System), is essential for the electrification of trucks and buses that must be driven over long distances.

Scania recently installed the MCS system from ABB E-mobility. The company is using this to test charge the next generation of trucks. In the long term, this will also apply to buses.

The intention is to cut the charging time of commercial vehicles in half so that driving and rest time can be used optimally. You should have enough electrical range to drive for 4.5 hours, after which you should be able to charge the batteries enough during a legal 45-minute rest period to be able to drive another 4.5 hours.

MCS standard

Scania is using the ABB pilot plant in the development of the next generation of electric vehicles. This is the first step. Scania and ABB, together with CharIN *, want to invest in development related to the MCS standard, which is expected to enter into force from 2024.

From this year, Scania can offer trucks in pre-MCS standard to customers with specific and express needs, with production to start in 2024. ABB E-mobility expects to use MCS technology in its charging systems from the end of 2024 / beginning of 2025.

– We see electric mobility coming, and our goal is to have 50 percent of all the vehicles we sell annually powered by electricity by 2030. To achieve this goal, infrastructure is required and the MCS is an important piece of the puzzle moving forward with infrastructure, says Frederic Allard, Director of Mobility Electronic Scania, for Norska Bussmagazinet.

We are pleased to collaborate with Scania on this pioneering project. This will set a precedent for the sector and define one of the ways we collaborate with commercial vehicle manufacturers, says Chris Norde, global head of fleet and transit business at ABB E-mobility.

Scania freight arrives

Scania will soon create a service that provides easier access to air-conditioned charging networks for buses and trucks, called Scania Charging Access. The goal is to make the transition to electric operation easy for customers, including through predictable pricing and easy charging. The service will be launched in a number of European countries starting in October and will be gradually expanded to include public freight networks for heavy vehicles.

Access and management is done through the My Scania fleet management system and the recently launched Scania Driver App. The latter gives drivers the opportunity to see where the charging stations are, calculate the distance there and monitor the charging itself.

Source: Scania