Mercedes-Benz Trucks are delivering an electric model across Europe to test megawatt charging under real-world operations.
The eActros 600 truck model is being sent from Germany to Sweden to test its Megawatt Charging System, or MCS, standard for its range of battery-electric long-haul trucks.
As part of the long‑distance test drive with two MCS‑compatible eActros 600 test trucks, development engineers from Mercedes‑Benz Trucks will test MCS charging with the aim to ensure compatibility between the vehicle and megawatt charging stations from various manufacturers.
“The key challenges in megawatt charging lie in harmonising the vehicle with various charging systems,” Mercedes-Benz Trucks head of e-charging components Peter Ziegler says.
“At the same time, the extreme charging currents in MCS charging place high demands on thermal management. The current test run provides an important opportunity to evaluate these aspects under real-world operating conditions.”
Covering approximately 2,400 kilometres through Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark before arriving in Sweden, the vehicles are scheduled to be recharged at both public and private MCS locations designed for trucks.
Mercedes-Benz Trucks says the charging capacity of up to 1,000 kW on electric trucks means they can be charged quicker with MCS than with the currently common CCS technology. For example, the eActros 600 takes only about 30 minutes to charge from 20 per cent to 80 per cent using MCS.