Standard
The Megawatt Charging System is the industry connector for multi‑megawatt DC charging of heavy‑duty EVs — so trucks can recharge in a rest break, not overnight.
Peak figures describe what the standard allows — site and vehicle limits are often lower today.
Peak power
3.75 MW
1,250 V × 3,000 A DC
Voltage
≤ 1,250 V
Connector rated to 1,500 V
Current
≤ 3,000 A
Cooling scales with A
Break fit
~45 min
Sized for driver rests*
SAE
J3271
TIR (2025)
IEC
TS 63379
Connector (2026)
*Break-fit language reflects design intent (e.g. EU statutory rests). Actual SOC gained and minutes depend on battery, temperature, tapering, and negotiated power — not a guarantee.
The Megawatt Charging System (MCS) is a conductive DC charging interface for large battery packs — Class 6–8 trucks and buses first, with marine and aviation use cases in view. CharIN started the MCS task force in 2018, building on lessons from CCS but with a new connector sized for much higher current.
At the top of the envelope the system targets about 1,250 V and 3,000 A (roughly 3.75 MW); connectors may be rated up to 1,500 V. Cooling is configuration-dependent — lower currents can run with little or no liquid cooling; the highest currents cool both the cable/connector path and the vehicle inlet. Communication uses ISO 15118-20 over Automotive Ethernet (for example 10BASE-T1S) with dedicated pins — not the CCS power-line communication stack — enabling Plug & Charge and bidirectional / V2X readiness.
Standards catch-up is underway: SAE J3271 (Technical Information Report) describes the system; IEC TS 63379 covers the connector, inlet, and cable assembly (2026). Related equipment documents such as IEC 61851-23-3 continue in parallel as products and corridors scale.
| Aspect | MCS | CCS |
|---|---|---|
| Primary use | Medium & heavy-duty trucks, buses, some marine / aviation | Passenger cars and light commercial (CCS Combo) |
| Typical power today | Early corridor / hub sites often ~0.7–1.2 MW; standard allows up to 3.75 MW | Commonly up to ~150–350 kW (cars); truck CCS often ~300–500+ kW |
| Connector | Larger MCS plug (triangular geometry); not plug-compatible with CCS | CCS Combo 1 / Combo 2; widespread on light EVs |
| Cooling | Config-dependent: low current may be uncooled; full 3,000 A needs cooled connector + inlet | Air- or liquid-cooled depending on power class |
| Communication | ISO 15118-20 over Automotive Ethernet (e.g. 10BASE-T1S) — not CCS PLC | Typically PLC + ISO 15118 / DIN 70121 stacks |
| Standards home | CharIN MCS → SAE J3271, IEC TS 63379 | CharIN CCS → IEC 62196 / related CCS family |
This site tracks public and semi-public megawatt / heavy-duty charging locations — not a booking system.
Multipoint megAwatt Charging for Battery Electric Truck Hubs — Horizon Europe project to design and demonstrate multipoint MCS hubs plus scale-up tools. Two demonstration sites are planned in Belgium and Sweden (including an HDV-focused hub track with Milence in Belgium). As of mid-2026 both sites were still advancing through planning and design toward commissioning — not yet finished operating hubs.
macbethproject.eu →High-performance charging in long-distance truck transport — German corridor demo on the Ruhr–Berlin axis with five MCS-capable sites (Lehre, Lipperland Süd, Hamm-Rhynern, Dortmund, Wustermark). June 2026 commissioning at Lehre marked a connected corridor; charging capacities up to about 1.2 MW, sized for a ~45-minute driver break. Coordinated by Fraunhofer ISI and P3; funded ~€10 million by the Federal Ministry of Transport (plus EU recovery support).
hochleistungsladen-lkw.de →Long-haul batteries are too large for car-class chargers if you need a meaningful recharge in a legal rest break. MCS is the industry bet on interoperable multi‑megawatt plugs so fleets can electrify corridors without inventing a proprietary connector per brand — cutting diesel use on freight routes that dominate transport emissions.
MCS is a high-power DC charging connector and system for large battery-electric vehicles — especially Class 6–8 trucks and buses. It was incubated by CharIN and documented in SAE J3271 and IEC TS 63379. Peak operating figures commonly cited are up to 1,250 V and 3,000 A (about 3.75 MW); the connector family can be rated to 1,500 V.
MCS is designed so a useful recharge can fit inside a statutory driver break (often ~45 minutes in the EU). Exact SOC windows and minutes depend on battery size, temperature, tapering, and the power the vehicle and site negotiate. Early public points are often in the ~0.7–1.2 MW range — well below the 3.75 MW ceiling.
No. CCS Combo serves light vehicles at hundreds of kilowatts. MCS is a separate, larger connector aimed at megawatt-class charging, with a different communications physical layer. Vehicles may carry both inlets, but the plugs are not interchangeable.
Not at every current level. Uncooled or partly cooled configurations support lower currents; reaching the full multi-thousand-ampere capability requires cooling of the high-power path (connector and, at the top end, the vehicle inlet).
The connector geometry and system requirements are mature enough for products and corridors. SAE J3271 exists as a Technical Information Report; IEC TS 63379 covers the MCS connector / inlet / cable assembly (published 2026). Related equipment and communication documents (for example IEC 61851-23-3 and ISO 15118 amendments) continue to advance as deployments scale.
Public and depot networks are still early but growing — for example Shell / SBRS points on Germany’s HoLa corridor, hub operators such as Milence, and US programmes including WattEV and OEM pilots. Truck makers (MAN, Mercedes-Benz, Scania, Volvo, Tesla Semi programmes and others) have demonstrated or announced MCS capability. This locator tracks sites as they go live or are planned.
Live and planned locations from the same directory as the table and stats.
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