Kempower announced the first deployment of its Mega Satellite MCS dispensers for heavy-duty electric vehicles in North America.

The company installed a 1.2-MW (1,200 kW) Kempower Power Unit (power electronics cabinet) and two Kempower Mega Satellite MCS dispensers at EV Realty’s San Bernardino hub in California.

As the name indicates, this type of dispenser features a Megawatt Charging System (MCS) connector, designed for megawatt-level power.

The Mega Satellite MCS can deliver up to 1.2 MW (in line with the cabinet) at a maximum current of 1,500 amps. The voltage can range from 200 to 1,250 volts, although the company noted on its website that in the first development phase of the Kempower Power Unit, the voltage is limited to 920 V.

The first system at EV Realty’s San Bernardino hub has been successfully validated using an all-electric Windrose truck. However, the press release does not reveal the session’s peak power or other details.

Jed Routh, VP of Markets and Products at Kempower North America, said:

“This milestone of the first successful MCS charging session in North America with Kempower hardware marks a major step for heavy-duty charging in the region, demonstrating real-world interoperability and reliable delivery. The collaboration with EV Realty makes this possible, positioning Kempower’s reliable, flexible charging solutions to support the continued electrification of heavy-duty transport in North America.”

EV Realty, which is building a network of commercial charging hubs (five are built or under development), noted that fleets are already waiting for MCS charging infrastructure.

Suncheth Bhat, Chief Commercial Officer at EV Realty, said:

“MCS is a potential game changer for fleets looking to reduce dwell times and improve the efficiency of their operations. Fleets are excited about the trucks but have questions about where they will be able to charge. We are building sites that can serve any heavy-duty truck, including those utilizing MCS. This test confirms that we will be ready for real-world MCS charging when the trucks hit the road later this year.”

Windrose Chief Executive Officer Wen Han said:

“MCS is similar to what the USB type-C has done to the consumer electronics industry. Based on the ISO15118-20 ethernet communication, it allows for both much faster flow of electrons but also much more secure exchange of information. This is the key step to universalizing high-power charging globally. Windrose is particularly invested in this technology, because our product is a global one that serves Europe, North America, South America, and Asia Pacific, and we expect all of these markets to be embracing MCS over time”.

The Kempower Mega Satellite is a heavy-duty dispenser, much larger and more robust than the light-duty electric-vehicle dispensers we saw in State Of Charge’s recent video.

Interestingly, they are also available with other connector types, such as CCS2 in Europe, but are rated only up to 560 kW (up to 700 amps). We assume that, depending on the order, a CCS1 or NACS (SAE J3400) version with the maximum power level could also be offered.

Nonetheless, for heavy-duty vehicles, the MCS is the right choice. The 1.2 MW level is just the beginning, as the standard can go up to a few megawatts. It will take some time until electric trucks are able to accept higher power levels.