TRATON: Megawatt charging for electric trucks is cheaper and faster than slower options
TRATON says its Megawatt Charging System for heavy-duty electric trucks is more cost-effective than slower charging, delivering 80% charge in 45 minutes at 700 kW.
- 700 kW
- 45 minutes
- up to 40%
What Happened
The Megawatt Charging System (MCS) offers enhanced communication, safety, and robustness, but its main advantage is cost-effectiveness for all stakeholders. According to TRATON, charging at 700 kW allows a battery to reach around 80% in 45 minutes, matching the mandatory rest period for EU truck drivers. In contrast, a typical 350-kW charger would take about 90 minutes to charge a heavy-duty truck, doubling the legal rest time and hurting business continuity.
TRATON highlights economic benefits for Charge Point Operators (CPOs): faster charging increases throughput per square meter, reducing land and hardware costs. Installing five 700-kW MCS chargers instead of ten 350-kW CCS chargers lowers land costs and hardware expenditure while maintaining network demand. Shorter charging times also improve stochastic optimization, making reservations easier and boosting charger utilization.
“Megawatt charging is designed to maximize stability and minimize downtime.”
TRATON is partnering with CPOs and Hubject to accelerate MCS rollout. Its joint venture Milence is already installing MCS chargers in Europe, and as of April 2026, TRATON brands are accepting orders for MCS-enabled trucks. Future smart charging and energy market integration could cut charging costs by up to 40%, lowering total cost of ownership and driving BEV adoption.
Why this matters
Faster, cheaper charging is key to making electric long-haul trucks viable, helping meet EU driver rest rules while reducing costs for fleet owners and charging operators.
Terms in This Story
- MCS
- Megawatt Charging System, a high-power charging standard for heavy-duty electric vehicles.
- CPO
- Charge Point Operator, a company that owns and operates electric vehicle charging stations.
- CCS
- Combined Charging System, a standard for charging electric vehicles at lower power levels.
- BEV
- Battery Electric Vehicle, a vehicle powered solely by electricity stored in batteries.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.