Stop 04 of 08 · Depot and road

What is the Megawatt Charging System?

About 7 min · 3 questions ·

Tuesday
The situation

The driver plugs a large connector into the side of the truck. It is not CCS, the plug used by cars, but MCS.

The screen shows the power rising past 700 kW.

The questionWhat is MCS, and how does it differ from charging a car?

The standardsMegawatt charging in numbers
Voltage, vehicle side1,250V DC

rated maximum

Current3,000A

up to and including

Power3.75MW

computed from both maxima

One truck today1,000kW

maximum charging power

Voltage from IEC 61851-23-3, current from IEC TS 63379; the truck's charging power as stated by its manufacturer.

One system, four standardsWhat each standard defines
01
Step 01Connector

The vehicle connector, the vehicle inlet and the cable assembly for megawatt DC charging, published in January 2026.

Select each part to see what it covers.

A system, not only a plug

IEC TS 63379 defines the connector, vehicle inlet and cable assembly for megawatt DC charging. IEC 61851-23-3 defines the charging equipment that uses this coupler, with digital communication for energy transfer control defined in ISO 15118-10 and ISO 15118-20; bidirectional power flow is still under consideration. The 2026 amendment of ISO 15118-20 adds an service.

Where trucks can use it

In the EU, more than 4,000 public charging points are suitable for trucks. About 30% of them are exclusively for trucks; nearly all of those are faster than 150 kW, and over two thirds charge at between 350 kW and 1 MW. Over 40 chargers faster than 1 MW have been identified. Trucks can also use chargers built mainly for cars, where the site allows them to manoeuvre and park. With charging power of up to 1,000 kW, one long-haul truck charges from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes, based on its manufacturer's simulations.

Check your understanding

3 questions. Answer all of them to complete this stop. Each answer explains itself.

01Question 1 of 3

What is the rated maximum voltage on the vehicle side in IEC 61851-23-3?

02Question 2 of 3

Which standard defines the MCS connector, inlet and cable assembly?

03Question 3 of 3

What does 1,250 V multiplied by 3,000 A give?

Further in other paths

  1. Charging hardware · Stop 06Why do cables get thicker at higher power?Current, not power, sizes a cable. Why heat grows with the square of current, why 800-volt cars need less of it, and when cables are cooled with liquid.
  1. IEC: IEC 61851-23-3:2026, Part 23-3: DC electric vehicle supply equipment, megawatt charging systems, published 21 August 2026. https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/69016. Checked 09 Oct 2026.
  2. IEC: IEC TS 63379:2026, Vehicle connector, vehicle inlet and cable assembly for megawatt DC charging, published 28 January 2026. https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/67975. Checked 09 Oct 2026.
  3. Daimler Truck: Megawatt charging in long-haul endurance test: Mercedes-Benz Trucks sends eActros 600 from Germany to Sweden, press release of 20 January 2026. https://www.daimlertruck.com/en/newsroom/pressrelease/megawatt-charging-in-long-haul-endurance-test-mercedes-benz-trucks-sends-eactros-600-from-germany-to-sweden-53327018. Checked 09 Oct 2026.
  4. IEC: IEC TS 63379:2026, Vehicle connector, vehicle inlet and cable assembly for megawatt DC charging, published 28 January 2026. https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/67975. Checked 09 Oct 2026.
  5. IEC: IEC 61851-23-3:2026, Part 23-3: DC electric vehicle supply equipment, megawatt charging systems, published 21 August 2026. https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/69016. Checked 09 Oct 2026.
  6. ISO: ISO 15118-20:2022 and Amendment 1:2026 (AC DER service, MCS service, improved security). https://www.iso.org/standard/77845.html. Checked 09 Oct 2026.
  7. IEA: Global EV Outlook 2026: Electric vehicle charging. https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2026/electric-vehicle-charging-chap-6-and-10. Checked 09 Oct 2026. Licence: CC BY 4.0.
  8. IEA: Global EV Outlook 2026: Electric vehicle charging. https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2026/electric-vehicle-charging-chap-6-and-10. Checked 09 Oct 2026. Licence: CC BY 4.0.
  9. Daimler Truck: Megawatt charging in long-haul endurance test: Mercedes-Benz Trucks sends eActros 600 from Germany to Sweden, press release of 20 January 2026. https://www.daimlertruck.com/en/newsroom/pressrelease/megawatt-charging-in-long-haul-endurance-test-mercedes-benz-trucks-sends-eactros-600-from-germany-to-sweden-53327018. Checked 09 Oct 2026.
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