Electric truck charging: CCS, MCS and dual-gun charging
How heavy electric trucks charge: CCS and dual-gun DC charging, the Megawatt Charging System, depot and opportunity charging, and the charging times makers state.
Connectors by region
- CCS1 in North America: the Volvo VNR Electric, for example, charges through CCS1 at up to 250 kW.
- CCS2 in Europe, the Middle East, Australia and much of Asia: European trucks such as the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 charge at up to 400 kW through CCS2.
- GB/T in China, where heavy trucks commonly use two or more GB/T DC connectors in parallel.
- MCS, the Megawatt Charging System, for the newest long-haul trucks in Europe and North America.
Trucks built for export are usually supplied with the connector of the market they are sold in.
Megawatt charging
A car connector limits a truck to a few hundred kilowatts. The Megawatt Charging System uses a single, larger connector designed for well over a megawatt, enough to add hundreds of kilometres of range during the 45-minute break European drivers must take after four and a half hours at the wheel. In our database, MAN eTGS, Geely Remote Xinghan G Battery-Swap Tractor, MAN eTGX, Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 and Volvo FH Aero Electric Extended Range are built or prepared for megawatt charging.
Dual-gun charging
Chinese heavy trucks reach high charging power differently: through two, and on the largest batteries four, DC connectors at once. SANY EV318kWh Standard (500 A dual-gun DC fast charging), BYD Q3 Electric Tractor (dual-gun DC charging up to 800 A), Geely Remote Xinghan H Electric Tractor (four-gun DC charging, 900 A), SANY SE588kWh Composite (600 A dual-gun DC fast charging). Dual-gun chargers are standard at Chinese truck depots, ports and logistics parks.
Depot and opportunity charging
Most electric trucks today charge at their own depot, overnight or between shifts, at lower power and lower electricity prices. Opportunity charging tops them up during the working day: during loading, at a customer's site or during the driver's break. Fleets on fixed routes plan their charging around their timetable, and many makers offer charging management software that times it to the cheapest electricity.
Working out charging time
A rough estimate is the energy added divided by the charging power. Taking a 600 kWh battery from 20% to 80% adds 360 kWh; at 400 kW that is about 55 minutes, at 1,000 kW about 22 minutes. Real times are somewhat longer, because charging power tapers as the battery fills and depends on battery temperature, so makers quote 20 – 80% times measured under stated conditions.
Charging times stated by makers
| Truck | Battery | Charging | Stated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Semi | Tesla Megacharger up to 1.2 MW; Basecharger 120 kW for depots | up to 60% of range in 30 min with Megacharger | |
| MAN eTGX | 240 – 480 kWh | CCS and megawatt charging (MCS) up to 750 kW | 10–80% in up to 31 min with megawatt charging |
| Volvo FH Aero Electric Extended Range | 585 – 780 kWh | CCS up to 350 kW and MCS megawatt charging up to 700 kW | 20–80% in about 50 min with MCS (85 min with CCS) |
| Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 | 621 kWh | CCS2 up to 400 kW; megawatt charging (MCS) prepared | 20–80% in about 30 min with megawatt charging |
| IVECO S-eWay Artic | 603 kWh | DC fast charging up to 350 kW | 20–80% in about 60 min at 350 kW |
| Volvo FH Aero Electric | 360 – 540 kWh | CCS, up to 350 kW | 20–80% in about 65 min at 350 kW |
| Volvo FH Electric | 360 – 540 kWh | CCS, up to 350 kW | 20–80% in about 65 min at 350 kW |
| Volvo FM Electric | 360 – 540 kWh | CCS, up to 350 kW | 20–80% in about 65 min at 350 kW |
| Volvo FMX Electric | 360 – 540 kWh | CCS, up to 350 kW | 20–80% in about 65 min at 350 kW |
| Volvo FM Low Entry | 360 kWh | AC 43 kW or DC 250 kW | full charge in 1.5 h at 250 kW DC, 8.5 h at 43 kW AC |
| Volvo VNR Electric | 375 – 565 kWh | CCS1, up to 250 kW | up to 80% in 60 min (4 batteries) or 90 min (6 batteries) |
| BYD 8TT | 422 – 563 kWh | DC up to 130 kW (422 kWh) or 230 kW (563 kWh) | full charge in 2.5 h (422 kWh) or 3.5 h (563 kWh) on DC |
| Mercedes-Benz eEconic | 336 kWh | DC up to 160 kW | 20–80% in about 75 min |
| Volvo FE Electric | 280 – 375 kWh | AC 43 kW or DC 150 kW | full charge (4 packs) in 2.3 h at 150 kW DC, 8 h at 43 kW AC |
| Volvo FL Electric | 175 – 565 kWh | AC 43 kW or DC 150 kW | full charge (4 packs) in 2.3 h at 150 kW DC, 8 h at 43 kW AC |
| BYD 6F | 281 – 343 kWh | DC up to 100 kW (281 kWh) or 120 kW (343 kWh) | full charge in 2 h (281 kWh) or 3 h (343 kWh) on DC |
| BYD Q3 Electric Tractor | 400 kWh | dual-gun DC charging up to 800 A | 20–80% of 400 kWh in 35 min or less |
| BYD T4 Electric Mini Truck | DC fast charging | 2C charging: about 100 km of range in 10 min | |
| Freightliner eCascadia | DC fast charging | 0–80% in about 90 min | |
| Freightliner eM2 | 194 – 291 kWh | DC fast charging | up to 80% in about 60 min (Class 6) or 90 min (Class 7) |
| Geely Remote X7E Electric Tractor | 282 – 660 kWh (7 sizes) | DC fast charging | full charge in about 1 h; battery swap in 3 – 5 min |
| Geely Remote Xinghan H Electric Tractor | 600 – 660 kWh | four-gun DC charging, 900 A | 20–80% in 30 min |
| Geely Remote Xingzhi T Electric Truck | 120 – 154 kWh (4 sizes) | DC fast charging | 20–80% in 18 min (2C charging) |
| SANY EV318kWh Standard | 318 kWh | 500 A dual-gun DC fast charging | 20–80% in 30 min or less |
| SANY SE588kWh Composite | 588 kWh | 600 A dual-gun DC fast charging | 20–80% in 60 min or less |
| SANY SE588kWh Super | 588 kWh | 600 A dual-gun DC fast charging | 20–80% in 60 min or less |
| SANY SE636kWh Standard | 636 kWh | 1000 A dual-gun DC fast charging | 20–80% in 30 min or less |
| SANY SE861kWh Composite | 861 kWh | 1000 A four-gun DC fast charging | 20–80% in 55 min or less |
Questions
How long does it take to charge an electric semi truck?
With today's DC fast chargers of 250 to 400 kW, a 20 – 80% charge of a 400 – 600 kWh battery takes roughly 45 to 90 minutes. Megawatt charging brings that down to about 30 minutes, within a driver's mandatory break.
What is MCS?
The Megawatt Charging System is the charging standard for heavy electric vehicles, with a single large connector designed for well over a megawatt. Trucks such as the Volvo FH Aero Electric with extended range and the MAN eTGX are built for it.
What is dual-gun charging?
Chinese heavy trucks often charge through two DC connectors at once, doubling the current a single gun can carry. SANY's tractors, for example, charge through two guns at up to 1,000 A in total.
Can electric trucks charge at car charging stations?
Many use the same CCS connector as cars and can charge at car fast chargers, but the bays are rarely long enough for a truck and trailer, and the power is often lower than a truck needs.