Key takeaways
- MAN is producing the eTGX and eTGS with MCS capability as a series-production option.
- The manufacturer quotes peak MCS charging power of up to 750 kW.
- MAN says the six-battery configuration can be charged from 20% to 80% in less than 30 minutes.
- Initial deliveries will be phased across nine European countries.
- Publicly accessible MCS charge points remain limited to a small number of sites.
For long-haul operators, the potential benefit is clear: shorter charging stops. The immediate constraint is equally apparent, however, as publicly accessible MCS charging sites remain scarce.
First series-built MCS e-trucks roll out of Munich
MAN says the first series-built electric truck fitted with the Megawatt Charging System has left the production line at its Munich plant. The option is available for the eTGX and eTGS ranges.
Initial deliveries will be phased to customers in Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and the UK.
MAN describes itself as the first European manufacturer to produce MCS-equipped electric trucks in series. Until now, the technology has largely been confined to prototypes, trials and pre-series vehicles among European truck manufacturers.
MCS is intended to address the high energy requirements of heavy-duty road transport. Higher charging power could allow electric trucks to recharge during statutory driver breaks, enabling operators to complete longer daily schedules without extending the working day.
MAN quotes charging power of up to 750 kW
MAN says MCS allows the eTGX and eTGS to charge at up to 750 kW, using currents of up to 1,000 amps and voltages of up to 750 volts. Through the Combined Charging System, the trucks can charge at up to 375 kW.
The manufacturer gives the following indicative charging times from 20% to 80%:
- Six batteries with a total installed capacity of 534 kWh: less than 30 minutes.
- Seven batteries with a total installed capacity of 623 kWh: less than 40 minutes.
The quoted time for the six-battery version would fit within the 45-minute break required after no more than four and a half hours of driving.
Actual charging times will depend on factors including battery temperature, the initial state of charge, the power available from the grid connection and demand at the charging site.
The MCS inlet is positioned on the front left of the truck. MAN also offers additional CCS inlets, which can be installed on the front right or, on chassis variants, towards the rear. These options are intended to accommodate different depot and public charging-site layouts.
Source: MAN Truck & Bus
More than 1,000 km a day under suitable conditions
MAN quotes a range of up to 570 km between charging stops for its electric trucks. With an intermediate charge, it says daily distances of more than 1,000 km are possible within working hours comparable with those of a diesel truck.
These figures should not be treated as universal operating ranges. Energy consumption varies according to gross weight, body configuration, speed, route profile, weather conditions and auxiliary power demand.
A charging stop can also be incorporated into a driver’s scheduled break only when a suitable charger is available on the route and can supply the required power.
Series production therefore solves only one part of the operational challenge. Hauliers can now order and receive trucks equipped with MCS, but flexible long-haul deployment across Europe will depend on charging infrastructure being available along the freight corridors they use.
Other manufacturers prepare to introduce MCS
MAN is not the only truck manufacturer bringing megawatt charging closer to commercial deployment.
Mercedes-Benz Trucks tested MCS in early 2026 using two eActros 600 trucks on a journey of around 2,400 km between Germany and Sweden. The eActros 600 is currently offered with preparation for the later installation of MCS capability.
Scania also lists MCS charging at up to 750 kW for its battery-electric trucks and has said the technology will be available for vehicle orders from 2026.
These developments suggest that MCS is becoming a common industry standard rather than a feature associated with a single manufacturer.
Interoperability will be important for hauliers. Public charging hubs must be capable of serving trucks from different manufacturers without requiring operators to plan routes around proprietary connectors or brand-specific infrastructure.
Public MCS charging remains the exception
Europe’s public charging network for electric HGVs is expanding, but widespread MCS coverage remains some way off.
Milence, a joint venture backed by Daimler Truck, the Traton Group and the Volvo Group, is developing charging hubs for heavy-duty electric vehicles along major European freight corridors.
The company operates publicly accessible MCS installations at sites including Antwerp, Zwolle and Landvetter. At its Antwerp hub, Milence says the MCS charge points provide a combined capacity of 2.8 MW.
Milence opened its 37th European charging hub in early June 2026. Not every site is equipped with MCS, however. Many locations initially offer CCS charging and are intended to be upgraded later.
The present gap is substantial. A small number of MCS sites demonstrate that the technology can work, but isolated charge points on selected corridors are insufficient for the routine operation of international long-haul fleets.
What fleets should check before deploying MCS trucks
Operators considering an MCS-equipped eTGX or eTGS will need to look beyond headline figures for range and peak charging power.
Routes should be assessed before vehicles are ordered. Fleets need to establish where charging is available, how much power each site can provide and what alternative arrangements exist when a charger is occupied or out of service.
Depot infrastructure is another important consideration. Charging at several hundred kilowatts may require a stronger grid connection, additional transformers and on-site load management. When several trucks charge simultaneously, the capacity of the grid connection can quickly become the limiting factor.
MAN says its deployment advice takes existing and planned MCS sites into account. Route planning cannot, however, fully compensate for a sparse public network.
The most practical initial applications are likely to be fixed routes on which charging can be secured at depots, customer premises or reliably available corridor hubs.
Truck availability is moving ahead of the charging network
By offering MCS as a series-production option, MAN is moving megawatt charging beyond prototypes and pilot projects. Its quoted charging times could, in principle, fit established long-haul operating patterns.
The principal bottleneck is now shifting towards infrastructure. While MCS charge points remain sparse, deployment will largely be confined to predictable routes with secured access to charging.
A denser network along Europe’s main freight corridors will be needed before operators can determine whether the quoted daily distances can be achieved reliably across less predictable long-haul operations.
Charging availability is not the only constraint. Drivers must also be able to find safe and legal parking spaces where they can take their statutory breaks while the truck charges. Vehicle technology, charging infrastructure and suitable parking provision will therefore need to develop together if MCS is to support routine international road freight.
