The unveiling of CharIN’s Megawatt Charging System standard at the Interoperability Testing conference brings fast, high-powered charging for heavy-duty transportation a step closer in North America

The Charging Interface Initiative (CharIN), a global industry association focused on the electrification of transportation, has launched its new Megawatt Charging System (MCS) standard in North America.

The MCS, presented last week at a North American Conference and Interoperability Testing Event, has been under development for almost four years in support of CharIN’s goal is to create a worldwide charging standard for heavy-duty transportation.

The MCS had its global unveiling at the International Electric Vehicle Symposium in Oslo in May.

Global standard achieved

During last week’s event — held at the Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) Electric Island in Portland, Oregon — EV experts discussed the opportunities for North America to create and implement a “flawless customer charging experience through the proper application of open and interoperable charging standards,” says CharIN.

“This year’s Conference is proof that with our worldwide community of close to 300 members and all relevant stakeholders gathering, CharIN has reached the goal to establish the Combined Charging System (CCS) as a global standard for interoperable charging,” said Claas Bracklo, chairman of CharIN e.V in a press statement.

“We now strive for this very same goal with the Megawatt Charging System for heavy-duty means of transportation to carry forward our mission to make global zero-emission transportation through interoperable and accessible e-mobility a reality.”

The standard can not only be used in battery electric long-haul trucks, but also in other heavy-duty applications such as mining, agriculture and the military.

The final publication of the standard is expected to release in 2024.

Testing the chargers

Daimler’s Portland facility was an appropriate setting for the CharIN event. The company is a founding member company of the CharIN task force for Megawatt Charging Standard. The Electric Island was also built jointly by DTNA and Portland General Electric (PGE) to be an ideal location to perform interoperability tests for the latest EVs, electric vehicle supply equipment, electric control units and communication controllers.

Representatives from 58 CharIN member companies conducted conformance and interoperability tests on a dozen Class 6-8 medium- and heavy-duty vehicles that came to test out the Megawatt Charging System.

“The breadth of the topics discussed by leading stakeholders is a clear indication of how quickly our ecosystem is growing,” said Oleg Logvinov, chairman of CharIN Inc. and CEO of IoTecha Corp. “Nature teaches us that biodiversity is the key to thriving ecosystems, and the e-mobility industry, based on CCS and MCS, is already demonstrating diverse use cases and stakeholders.”