Poland launches 1,500 kW truck chargers beside the A1 motorway

Poland’s first public megawatt chargers for electric trucks are now operating at two service areas along the A1 motorway. Each Megawatt Charging System unit can supply up to 1.5 megawatts, or 1,500 kilowatts.

The sites are located at the Stobiecko Szlacheckie East and Stobiecko Szlacheckie West service areas in Łódź province. The charging standard was designed for heavy electric transport, whose batteries can hold several hundred kilowatt-hours. Charging a substantial portion of that capacity at 300 or 400 kilowatts could take too long for long-distance operations.

The idea behind megawatt charging is to replenish much of a truck’s battery while the driver takes a legally required break. Krzysztof Kaczyński, Orlen’s executive director for electromobility, called the installation a pilot solution aligned with forthcoming charging standards and said it would shorten truck parking times.

The infrastructure is not limited to future truck models. Each service area has four passenger-car points with power of up to 400 kilowatts and two truck positions. One truck position supports MCS at up to 1.5 megawatts and can also use a CCS connector at up to 600 kilowatts. The other truck position uses CCS.

That combination reflects the current vehicle market. MCS is only beginning to enter series-produced electric trucks, while most electric trucks already on the roads still use CCS. The full 1.5 megawatts will not flow continuously in every charging session. Actual output depends on the truck’s capabilities, the battery’s charge level and temperature, and the station’s overall load.

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This pilot solution aligns with forthcoming charging standards and will shorten the parking time of heavy vehicles.