New standard for the fast charging of heavy duty vehicles

A new standard for megawatt (MW) charging is tipped to accelerate the electrification of heavy-duty vehicles like freight trucks.

A new standard is tipped to revolutionize the trucking industry by specifying the requirements for much greater charging power, up to several megawatts (MW), known as megawatt charging systems (MCS). This is expected to help save a lot of charging time for the drivers of heavy duty vehicles and thereby making the electric option even more attractive.

IEC 61851-23-3 specifies supply equipment to provide energy transfer between the supply network and electric vehicles (EVs), along with safety requirements and instructions on how to charge vehicles. It is complemented by the recently published technical specification IEC TS 63379 which provides the standard interface configurations of vehicle charging connectors and accessories needed for conductive charging at MW levels. It covers everything from the hardware to the pin and contact concepts, safety requirements, thermal management and temperature monitoring, power levels, bi-directional charging and robustness for operating in extreme conditions.

These standards will work in conjunction with the rest of the IEC 61851 series dedicated to EV conducive charging systems but be specific to MCS. According to Miguel Rodríguez Escudé, Senior R&D Engineer at ABB E-mobility and Project Leader of the working group that developed the standard, IEC 61853-23-3 will be a game changer for the electrification of heavy-duty vehicles.

"A robust IEC Standard will ensure interoperability between heavy-duty EVs and charging infrastructure while guaranteeing the safety and reliability of the charging process. The completion of this standard reflects ABB E-mobility's strong commitment towards the rapid electrification across key sectors, which we see as having no equally viable alternatives for sustainable heavy-duty transport."