Milence, a joint venture of Daimler Truck, Traton, and Volvo Group, has deployed its first publicly available Megawatt Charging System (MCS) chargers at its charging hub in Belgium, marking a major step in advancing high-performance charging for electric trucks.
The two MCS chargers, supplied by Power Electronics, are now operational at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, delivering a combined charging capacity of 2.8 megawatts across two bays. This follows the launch of the hub in June 2024, where Milence installed ten CCS chargers, each offering up to 400 kilowatts.
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“This deployment represents a turning point for electric road transport. MCS technology is a key enabler for the widespread adoption of electric trucks, making long-haul transport a viable and sustainable option,” said Milence CEO Anja van Niersen. “By drastically reducing charging times, we are breaking down one of the biggest barriers to electrification in freight transport.”
Milence, which was established in 2022, aims to roll out at least 1,700 high-performance charging points across Europe by 2027. The company anticipates installing “at least 284 MCS charging points across 71 locations in 10 EU member states in line with the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF) call.” However, it has yet to specify how many MCS chargers will be installed at each site or when and where future installations will take place.
Milence first tested MCS technology in July 2024, using hardware from Power Electronics. During testing, the company reported a successfully transmitted output of 1.1 megawatts. “In principle, up to 1.44 MW (1,500 A at 960 V) should be possible with the Power Electronics solution – which is the case at the Belgian location,” Milence stated.
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The MCS standard is designed to support charging voltages of up to 1,250 volts and currents of 3,000 amperes, theoretically enabling a charging capacity of up to 3.75 megawatts. By comparison, existing CCS chargers, which serve both passenger and commercial vehicles, offer a maximum of 400 kilowatts at 500 amperes.
Milence has also confirmed that MCS testing will be expanded to include additional truck models. A spokesperson for the company said, “We are coordinating with all OEMs additional tests involving several truck brands in the coming months.”