Designwerk Realizes Fast Charging of Over 1 Megawatt

(CONNECT) Designwerk Technologies AG, based in Winterthur, has achieved a charging capacity of over 1 megawatt in a test conducted under real-life conditions when fast-charging a truck battery. This success makes fast charging of large batteries for electric trucks a reality and overcomes the hurdle for long-distance transportation, according to a press release.

The test took place under real conditions at the depot of the National Road VI area in Oberbüren. A peak output of 1140 kilowatts was achieved. That is 8 percent more than the target of 1050 kilowatts. It took 42 minutes to fully charge a 1000 kilowatt battery from 10 to 80 percent. With this charge, a 40-tonne electric truck can cover a distance of more than 500 kilometers. The required charging time is within the time frame of legally prescribed breaks for the driver.

"Thanks to Mega Charging, a 40-tonne truck charges as quickly as an electric car - only with significantly more power," says Niels Ross, Project Manager for Charging Technology at Designwerk, in the press release. "This is the key to electrifying heavy goods traffic."

The use of electric trucks can save thousands of tons of CO2 every year. In Switzerland, registrations of battery-electric trucks rose by 41.2 percent in the first two quarters of 2025 compared to the same period of the previous year, according to the press release. ce/ww