A new MegaWatt Charging System (MCS) is set to be available in the UK from Q1 2024, which will be pivotal to the adoption of EVs, especially electric HGVs (eHGVs).
Kempower’s new charging solution is based on the company’s existing technology, including Kempower’s high power satellite with MCS liquid cooled charging plug and two 600 kW Kempower Power Units.
The company starts deliveries of the new Kempower Megawatt Charging System in Europe during the first quarter of 2024. The total power of the first delivered Kempower MCS solution delivery will be 1.2 megawatts.
“We are a key part of the critical growth of the electrification of trucks and heavy-duty transportation. Electric trucks are gaining traction as a sustainable alternative to traditional diesel trucks. Traditional heavy-duty trucks account for more than 25% of the total CO2 emissions from road transport. So, it’s clear that transitioning truck fleets to electric will have a major impact on climate change mitigation. An electric fleet also helps businesses get ahead of the competition by meeting sustainability demands,” said Jussi Vanhanen, Chief Market Officer of Kempower.
“Electric trucks are typically charged with a DC fast charger either overnight, at a warehouse destination, or on-the-move along highways. Larger EVs need larger power sources. Our megawatt charging solution serves all those use cases: overnight, destination and on-the-move charging,”
The Kempower MCS, which will be ready to be installed by Vital EV Solutions from early next year, is estimated to allow the average electric HGV to travel up to 372 miles on a single 30-minute charge. The new Kempower MCS will provide “up to 1.2 MW (1,200kW) of ultra-rapid DC charging”.
The take-up of electric vehicles over the past few years has been substantial, and can be seen on the UK’s roads. According to data from the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), 21.4% of new car registrations in Q1 2023 were plug-in electric. Meanwhile, plug-in vehicles only represented 2.9% of new HGV registrations in the same period of time.
Despite the popularity of electric cars, companies seem more hesitant to invest in electric HGVs. One reason for this, alongside the upfront investment costs associated with acquiring new electric vehicles, is the lack of EV charging infrastructure available in the UK currently to support a widespread transition to eHGVs.
Alex Rae, General Manager and Director of Vital EV Solutions, commented:
“Decarbonising the truck industry is crucial for the UK’s net-zero strategy and we are delighted to be among the first to market with a viable charging solution for overnight, destination, and en-route applications.
“With our background in industrial power engineering and a range of groundbreaking EV charging projects already under our belt, we are ideally placed to deliver critical MCS infrastructure projects and we look forward with excitement to working with the truck industry to make that fundamental switch to electric.”
