62 port to provide the 2 kV intermediate DC bus at 3.6 MW for supporting simultaneous charging of three trucks. Both the energy storage and the photovoltaic power electronics interfaces are single 400 kW DABs connected to their respective resources. These can easily be scaled to higher power systems depending on the need for supporting the multiport or electric grid interconnection. The systems have been tested on the controller hardware-in-the-loop testbeds at ORNL to validate both the software architecture and the station operation during transient and steadystate conditions. The MCS architecture and operation has been validated for two different scenarios, including simultaneous charging of high-power vehicles, and future work will look at different options and profile development for charging. “The next phase is looking at how to coordinate multiple stations in a network along the interstate,” says ORNL researcher Radha Krishna Moorthy. Mixed connections Kempower is taking a different approach to mix megawatt and CCS2 connector systems for certain truck charging scenarios, such as on-the-move and destination charging, which can require short bursts of high power. It has started pilot deliveries of the MCS from its European factories. This system can deliver up to 1.2 MW of power and 1500 A of current for longhaul electric trucks and other energyintensive vehicles. The Mega Satellite System is designed to work with current MCS and CCS2 DC charging standards, and is ready for future megawatt charging standards. The system can simultaneously charge two trucks using CCS2 connectors, delivering 700 A/560 kW to each truck at the same time. The MCS and CCS outputs can be used in the same system for maximal flexibility, and the unused power can be distributed among several outputs through dynamic power sharing. This allows the current CCS2 power levels for heavy-duty vehicles to be increased in the short term to enable the market transition toward full MCS adoption in the coming years. The first implementation of this is at Virta’s charging station at Linköping in Sweden. The charging system has four CCS2 charging spots with Kempower’s liquid-cooled charging satellites with power output of up to 400 kW; the addition of megawatt charging increased the power delivery to 1.2 MW. Similarly, Siemens has used its existing power designs for a prototype of its SICHARGE MCS. This uses multiple SICHARGE UC150 power cabinets and a high-power switching matrix with a customized MCS dispenser. The switching matrix is the central element in the MCS, bundling the output power of the charging stations and, depending on the requirement, directing the power to the MCS dispenser. Batteries commonly used in electric trucks could be charged from 20% to 80% in approximately 30 minutes at a suitable charging station with an output of around 1 MW. Conclusion Megawatt charging is maturing with the SAE J3271 standard, new communication techniques and thermal testing for the connectors to ensure interoperability at 1500 A and even up to 3000 A. Schemes such as the NEFTON project with its 10 prototype vehicles are showing how MCS can be integrated into trucks for fast charging. The technology is evolving with a mixture of CCS and MCS connector systems, leading to new multiport charging system designs that can support multiple vehicles using MCS connectors. The move to a 3000 A system is going to challenge the thermal management of the connectors and cables further in the drive to provide faster charging for existing vehicles and support even larger battery packs in the future for more practical long-range operation, whether on or off-road or on the water. Deep insight | Megawatt charging May/June 2025 | E-Mobility Engineering Mega Satellite MCS system at Virta in Sweden (Image courtesy of Kempower)
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