Kempower, Windrose and EV Realty Complete North America’s First Megawatt Charging Session, Clearing a Path for Electric Heavy-Duty Trucks
Kempower, together with Windrose and EV Realty, completed North America’s first Megawatt Charging System session at EV Realty’s San Bernardino hub, validating Kempower MCS hardware in a real-world setting and advancing infrastructure for heavy-duty electric trucks.
- Historic test: Kempower’s Mega Satellite MCS was used for the first time in North America at EV Realty’s San Bernardino site (Electrek; Charged EVs).
- High power: The site pairs a 1,200 kW Kempower Power Unit with two Mega Satellite dispensers capable of up to 1.2 MW and 1,500 amps, using liquid-cooled cables for heat management (Electrek; Charged EVs).
- Fleet impact: MCS delivers >1 MW (and scales in spec up to 3.75 MW), drastically reducing truck downtime and improving route completion (CALSTART).
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Inside the San Bernardino site
EV Realty designed the San Bernardino facility specifically for heavy‑duty charging. The configuration pairs a 1,200 kW Kempower Power Unit with two Kempower Mega Satellite MCS dispensers, providing up to 1.2 MW and 1,500 amps of continuous power. The system uses liquid‑cooled cables to manage heat at very high power levels and keep charging stable and safe (Electrek; Charged EVs).
Suncheth Bhat, chief commercial officer at EV Realty: “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.” (Electrek)
Why MCS matters for fleets
The Megawatt Charging System (MCS) is a new standard for heavy‑duty electric vehicles, designed to deliver more than 1 MW of power and capable under published specs of scaling to as much as 3.75 MW. That capacity is far beyond the 50–350 kW common for passenger EV fast chargers today. Faster charging means shorter stops, less idle time, and the potential for fleets to complete routes faster with fewer vehicles (Electrek; YouTube technical overview).
CALSTART emphasizes that MCS can dramatically reduce fleet downtime and improve route completion. Ian Cadger, CALSTART project manager for EV infrastructure incentives, said the technology “can make a dramatic difference in route completion for fleets” and reduce vehicle downtime so more freight moves in the same window (CALSTART).
A step toward deployment, not an end
The San Bernardino session is part of broader real‑world testing. Kempower has been deploying MCS systems in Europe and working with truck manufacturers, logistics firms and charging operators to validate performance under operating conditions. The California test shows the same hardware can work in North America and supports interoperability claims across truck brands (Electrek; Charged EVs).
Practical hurdles remain: building sites with sufficient electrical capacity, land, and grid connections for megawatt charging is expensive and complex. The San Bernardino hub targets freight moving from the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports through Southern California — a logical initial focus given existing freight volumes — but expanding a continental network will require public and private investment, faster permitting and grid upgrades (Electrek; Charged EVs).
Industry context and vehicle readiness
Truck manufacturers are moving toward MCS compatibility: several global makers plan long‑range electric models with MCS charging in late 2026. The San Bernardino test aligns with those rollouts and helps answer a key fleet question: where will trucks charge once they enter service? EV Realty’s working MCS site signals that charging operators are preparing infrastructure to match truck capabilities (Electrek; Charged EVs).
Kempower’s Mega Satellite approach — a distributed dispenser model with a central power unit — is a scalable way to serve multiple stalls without duplicating large equipment at every location. The San Bernardino site, with a 1,200 kW power unit and two Mega Satellite dispensers, is an early practical example (Electrek; Charged EVs).
Implications for San Diego, California
Economic impact
If megawatt charging expands across Southern California, San Diego’s logistics and transportation sectors could benefit from faster charging and shorter turnarounds. Local firms providing maintenance, site construction, electrical services and logistics may see new business tied to hubs modeled on San Bernardino (Electrek; CALSTART).
Traffic and air quality
San Diego has faced air quality challenges from diesel truck emissions. Transitioning freight to electric heavy‑duty trucks charged at MCS hubs could reduce local emissions and idling, improving public health near freight corridors (CALSTART; Electrek).
Infrastructure and grid planning
Utilities and local governments will need to coordinate on grid upgrades, permitting and siting to support MCS deployments. Megawatt charging often requires high‑capacity service and on‑site energy management or storage to avoid extreme demand charges, creating both opportunities for contractors and planning challenges for agencies (Electrek; Charged EVs).
Workforce and jobs
Building and operating MCS hubs will require electricians, heavy equipment installers, site managers and maintenance crews. San Diego’s workforce programs and community colleges could train workers for these roles, and partnerships between utilities, operators and training programs could accelerate hiring (Charged EVs).
Practical effects for fleets and drivers
For San Diego‑based fleets and drivers, closer MCS sites reduce detours and downtime between runs, improving schedules and lowering operating costs over time. Faster turnarounds can yield more reliable delivery windows and potentially lower logistics costs passed through the supply chain (CALSTART; Electrek).
Conclusion
The San Bernardino MCS test ties technology and real estate, providing a practical blueprint for Kempower megawatt charging and EV Realty truck charging hubs to help electric heavy‑duty trucks move from pilots to everyday service. Its timing, ahead of planned truck rollouts, gives San Diego and the region clearer visibility into how freight electrification could reshape logistics, air quality and jobs (Electrek; Charged EVs; CALSTART).
