ChargePoint, a provider of networked charging solutions for electric vehicles, recently announced its support for the Megawatt Charging System, the latest addition to ChargePoint’s leading DC fast charging lineup. The system is estimated to be capable of dispensing enough energy to power approximately 1,000 homes, so the rate of charge will help enable the electrification of commercial trucking.
“Megawatt technology is the first step toward electrifying the commercial trucking industry,” said Hossein Kazemi, CTO for hardware at ChargePoint. “Megawatt charging solves one half of the electrification equation for trucking. The companies developing electric trucks can now leverage this infrastructure to test and enable their vehicles until they meet—or even exceed—the distances covered by internal combustion trucks.”
See also: ChargePoint, Gatik team on charging for autonomous EVs
An electrified trucking sector will reduce emissions, since transportation represents the largest polluting segment. The industry is currently responsible for an annual 400+ million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. alone. The electrification of these vehicles will represent a significant step toward achieving global climate goals, but first the megawatt charging infrastructure must go into place to charge them.
The MCS cable and connector will be available on ChargePoint’s Power Link 2000 stations, part of the modular Express Plus DC fast charging platform. Initially, MCS will deliver up to 1.2 megawatts. The Megawatt Charging System supports bi-directional charging and will enable output of up to 3 megawatts in the future before vehicles become capable of accepting such a charge. The system is also designed for charging in marine and aviation applications.
Partners planning on megawatt charging can begin ChargePoint interoperability testing now to ensure a seamless deployment.
