Put Through its Paces: MAN and ABB E-mobility Conduct Landmark MCS Test Week
On their way to bring sustainable heavy-duty trucking to the streets, MAN Truck & Bus and ABB E-mobility have successfully completed a comprehensive week of testing focused on validating the next generation of Megawatt Charging System (MCS) technology.
Over the course of three days, the testing covered system and device communication (SCM, DCM), Transport Layer Security (TLS), performance validation, current ripple measurements, and charging session termination and emergency shutdown scenarios. Each of these categories is essential to ensure the interoperability, reliability, and safety of future charging sessions between truck and charging infrastructure.
Test highlights included:
- Charging an almost empty 480 kWh truck battery to 90% SOC in under 40 minutes
- Support extended charging session at a steady 1000 A, reaching a peak power of 740kW
- Emergency tests showed current reduced from 1000 A to 0 A in <3 milliseconds – more than 10x faster than the required 30 ms
- Completed a charging session of over 3.5 hours without any interruption, proving the MCS platform stability
- PIN temperature never exceeded 55°C during long high-current session, staying below the 90° standard limit
Why Testing Matters
As heavy-duty fleets transition to electric powertrains, interoperability between truck and charging stations is considered one of the biggest challenges in the electrification of long-haul transport. A single mismatch between truck and charger could disrupt operations, add unnecessary costs, undermine confidence in e-mobility – and therefore slow down the transformation to sustainable long-distance transport.
“As we move toward a larger scale deployment of electric trucks, these tests are not just about validation,” said Christopher Thompson, Head of Product and Portfolio Marketing at ABB E-mobility. “They are about building trust: trust that a truck will charge efficiently, safely and without losing time: In our test, the MAN truck charged from 2% to 90% state of charge in just 36 minutes at nearly 750 kW – exactly what fleets will need on the road.”
Marcel Hessel, responsible for Charging Systems & Components at MAN Truck & Bus, echoed the sentiment: “For our customers, downtime is not an option. That test proved that MCS technology is ready to deliver the performance needed – and also meet our shared commitment to highest safety standards.”
Laying the Groundwork
This test week represents another milestone in the R&D partnership between the two companies. Both companies have been active contributors to the development of the MCS standard, aligning technology roadmaps and ensuring that vehicles and charging infrastructure work seamlessly together.
Ahead of the campaign, MAN and ABB E-mobility had already carried out joint interoperability checks at MAN’s factory, set up two fully functional MCS systems, and validated a long-duration session at continuous 1.2 MW output as well as several test sessions with a Proof-of-Concept charger.
Setting the Standard for the Industry
Within the industry MCS is widely considered as a cornerstone for zero-emission heavy-duty transport. The joint test week demonstrates how collaboration between vehicle and infrastructure manufacturers can accelerate technical readiness and give operators confidence in the transition to electric long-haul logistics and is a clear testament: the future of heavy-duty charging is here – interoperable, safe, and reliable.
