Market launch for Kempower’s megawatt charging system
Kempower first announced the development of an MCS product for megawatt charging of heavy commercial vehicles back in October 2023. The orderbooks are now open in Europe, and Kempower wants to deliver soon.
The basic concept of the MCS system now on display does not deviate from the status announced in October. Kempower uses two existing 600 kW power supply units for a total output of 1.2 megawatts and one of the familiar satellite chargers – i.e. the compact charging station that is set up at the parking space. Most of the technology is located in the power supply units that can be placed a few meters away to keep the space required at the parking space itself to a minimum. Typically, two 600 kW units can supply several HPC satellites for electric cars. In the case of the MCS unit, however, the 2×600 kW are bundled and used for one satellite. This has a liquid-cooled MCS charging plug and can, therefore, deliver a total output of 1.2 megawatts to the vehicle to be charged.
Kempower has now revealed that the system is designed for a current of up to 1,500 amps and a power output of 1.2 MW. The “Kempower Mega Satellite” also has a “high-performance CCS plug” in addition to an MCS plug for the best possible compatibility. The Finnish company says that in its megawatt charging system, the MCS and CCS outlets can be located in the same system for maximum flexibility, and the unused power can be distributed to several outlets through dynamic power sharing. This means that virtually all standard electric truck models in Europe can charge there, even if they do not yet have an MCS connection.
This flexibility is necessary in the market transition. The company points out that when charging en route, short, high-power surges are required, which necessitates a dual strategy with MCS and high-power CCS coexisting in the same truck charging ecosystem.
“We believe that those of us who today develop the future of sustainable mobility in line with decarbonization goals will have competitive advantages in the sector in the mid and long term,” says Kempower CEO Tomi Ristimäki. “With MCS, we now position ourselves as a leading player in the transition to heavy-duty electric mobility, which is beneficial for the environment and for the quality of life of drivers, who, by driving electric trucks, eliminate noise and vibration from their daily working lives. MCS is contributing to the challenges of tomorrow, today.”
Kempower has already secured an important order for electric truck charging systems as the charging infrastructure supplier for Milence, the charging joint venture between Daimler Truck, Traton and the Volvo Group. The three manufacturers want to establish a fast-charging network for heavy commercial vehicles in Europe – initially with CCS and later with MCS, which should now be possible.
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