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Designwerk unveils MCS charging station with battery buffer

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Designwerk unveils MCS charging station with battery buffer​

The Swiss e-mobility specialist Designwerk has presented a new type of charging station in the megawatt class, which is intended to enable e-trucks to be charged quickly within 45 minutes. In the spring of 2023, the container-sized charging station will charge e-trucks for the first time.

The declared goal is that the new "mega charging station", as it is called in the announcement, should be up to six times faster than conventional high-performance charging stations with an output of 350 kW. The charging station uses the Megawatt Charging System (MCS) charging standard. Integrated battery buffers are designed to avoid peak loads.

Designwerk has not yet disclosed many details in the announcement. But these can be found on the project website: Batteries with an energy content of 1,800 kWh are installed in the 25-tonne container, which should be new batteries or second-life batteries. The unit is connected to the power grid via CEE 125. Up to 2,100 kW charging power can be delivered at the MCS output (up to 3,000 amperes at 500 to 900 volts). A CCS connector is also installed. The overall efficiency from the grid to the buffer battery and then to the vehicle is said to be around 90 percent.

Designwerk relies on the Megawatt Charging System (MCS) for its solution so that, according to its own statements, the solution "meets the necessary acceptance". The Megawatt Charging System is designed for a charging voltage of up to 1,250 volts and a current of 3,000 amps, which theoretically corresponds to a charging capacity of up to 3.75 megawatts.

The development and testing of the container charging station is integrated into a research project. According to the announcement, the scientific monitoring is supported by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) and "renowned industrial partners". In terms of research, the Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) and the Eastern Swiss University of Applied Sciences (OST) are involved in the project.

"The realization that high-performance charging stations make demands on networks is an integral part of the initial project situation," the statement says. "The demonstration operation is therefore intended to show ways in which a high-performance charging network and security of supply can go hand in hand." The buffers are to be designed in a similar way to bidirectional charging, so that the container is able to deliver electricity produced from renewable sources back into the grid.

“New types of charging infrastructure are needed, especially for long-distance trucks or for ships and airplanes. It differs from the infrastructure for electric cars and makes it possible to charge heavy commercial vehicles in a short time,” says Vivien Dettwiler, member of the Designwerk management board. "This helps ensure that zero-emissions freight transport arrives in all fields of application."