North American Megawatt Charging milestone reached in California as Kempower MCS charger powers heavy-duty truck test
Kempower, Windrose and EV Realty successfully completed North America’s first Megawatt Charging System session in San Bernardino, where a Kempower Mega Satellite MCS charger delivered a megawatt-level, interoperable charge to a Windrose long‑haul electric truck.
- First North American MCS session: Kempower, Windrose and EV Realty demonstrated cross-brand charging interoperability in San Bernardino — reported by Electrek, Charged EVs and Electric Drives.
- Site capability: a 1,200 kW Kempower Power Unit feeding two Mega Satellite MCS dispensers can provide up to 1.2 MW and 1,500 amps with liquid‑cooled cables (Electrek; Charged EVs).
- Regional readiness: the San Bernardino hub is timed to open in April 2026 as MCS-capable truck models arrive, speeding adoption and reducing fleet downtime (Electrek; Charged EVs).
What happened at the San Bernardino site
Real‑world interoperability test: EV Realty, Kempower and Windrose staged a session at EV Realty’s heavy‑duty hub in San Bernardino using Kempower’s Mega Satellite MCS dispensers plugged into a Windrose long‑haul electric truck. The demonstration showed a seamless, megawatt‑level charge and was described by Kempower as the company’s first MCS session in North America after earlier pilots in Europe (Charged EVs).
Technical setup: EV Realty built the site for heavy loads: a 1,200 kW Kempower Power Unit tied to two Mega Satellite dispensers. Together they can deliver up to 1.2 megawatts and 1,500 amps continuously, using liquid‑cooled cables to manage heat during sustained high‑power charging runs (Electrek; Charged EVs).
“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.” — Suncheth Bhat, EV Realty chief commercial officer (Electrek).
Why the Megawatt Charging System matters
MCS is built for large electric vehicles: passenger‑car fast chargers do not reach the power levels needed for Class 6–8 trucks. MCS is designed to deliver more than 1 MW of power so the largest trucks can recharge far faster, shortening dwell time and improving route completion for fleets.
Industry groups such as CALSTART note that megawatt speeds can “make a dramatic difference in route completion for fleets.” Programs like EnergIIZE aim to accelerate investments by helping fleets buy zero‑emission trucks and access fast charging infrastructure.
Interoperability and industry readiness
Cross‑brand charging: a central industry question has been whether trucks from different makers can use the same MCS hubs without special workarounds. Kempower and Windrose’s session demonstrated that MCS can operate across brands under real conditions — a key step toward universal access.
Kempower has deployed MCS in Europe and tested with truck makers and operators; Windrose has also run sessions in Europe. The San Bernardino test brings that progress to North America and signals readiness for incoming MCS‑capable trucks (Charged EVs).
“This demonstration is proof that MCS can work across brands and operate reliably under real conditions.” — Jed Routh, Kempower vice president (Charged EVs).
Larger California context and other hubs
California is investing in megawatt charging via both public and private projects. Examples include WattEV’s expanded San Bernardino depot (planned capacity up to 11.5 MW) and bp pulse’s Ontario microgrid hub aimed at Class 6–8 trucks—projects that support port‑to‑inland freight flows along corridors such as I‑10 (Automotive World; Electrive; CleanTrucking).
A YouTube overview highlights I‑10 corridor hubs and discusses even larger multi‑megawatt systems to support dense truck flows (YouTube overview).
What this means for fleets and operators
Operational benefits: faster top‑up charges reduce downtime, improve truck utilization and make long‑haul and port‑haul electrification more viable. Reliability and universal MCS access lower operational risk when fleets convert to electric trucks.
Business implications: reduced idle time increases route efficiency and can improve fleet economics when paired with incentives and planning programs such as EnergIIZE (CALSTART).
Implications for The High Desert, California
Economic impact: megawatt hub buildouts can create local construction, electrical and operations jobs. Charging hubs require technicians, site managers and support services—opportunities for workforce development and community colleges to offer targeted training.
Political and grid coordination: local officials will face permitting and zoning decisions as sites are proposed, and must coordinate with utilities on power supply and potential on‑site storage or microgrids (example: bp pulse microgrid planning; CleanTrucking).
Social and cultural effects: electrified fleets can reduce diesel emissions and noise, benefiting community health. Yet residents may have concerns about truck traffic and site impacts; thoughtful site planning and community engagement are essential.
Practical applications for residents
- Cleaner air and less diesel noise near highways and truck stops as electrified fleets scale up.
- Local business adaptation: diners, repair shops and service providers can pivot to serve electric fleets.
- Workforce development: demand for electricians and EV charging technicians may spur training programs at local institutions.
Sources and further reading
- Electrek
- Charged EVs
- Electric Drives
- CALSTART EnergIIZE briefing
- WattEV expansion coverage (Automotive World)
- Electrive on WattEV
- CleanTrucking on bp pulse hub
- YouTube overview of I‑10 corridor hubs
Bottom line: The San Bernardino demonstration marks a step from lab demos to operational sites in North America — the Kempower MCS charger and EV Realty’s hub are early signs California is preparing infrastructure to meet heavy‑duty EV fleet needs.
