This 1.5 MW electric truck charger just cleared a key US hurdle

Portuguese EV charging company i-charging has cleared a key hurdle for bringing its 1.5-megawatt (MW) electric truck charger to the US and Canada.

The company’s i-light heavy-duty charger has received Intertek’s ETL certification, confirming compliance with electrical safety standards for DC fast charging equipment in both countries. That includes UL 2202 and UL 2231 in the US and CSA C22.2 No. 346 in Canada.

The certification gives fleet operators and site developers the independent safety validation they need before installing the equipment. Local permits and inspections will still, of course, apply.

The i-light is designed for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles and can be configured with both Combined Charging System (CCS) and Megawatt Charging System (MCS) outputs. Its CCS connector delivers up to 800 kW, with either a 600-amp continuous-cooled cable or an optional 700-amp continuous-cooled cable (800-amp peak). That makes it compatible with electric trucks already on North American roads.

The MCS output raises the maximum charging power to 1.5 MW at up to 1,500 amps continuously. MCS is being developed specifically for large commercial EVs with much larger batteries than those in passenger cars, allowing electric trucks to charge quickly during required driver breaks rather than sitting at a charger for hours.

Offering both connectors gives fleets a way to charge their CCS-equipped trucks in service now and accommodate MCS-equipped models as they enter service.

The charger also offers a 37-inch transparent display that can show charging information within view of the driver’s seat, along with a separate 10-inch touchscreen.

“ETL certification is a decisive step in bringing i-light to North America. Fleet operators demand charging infrastructure that meets the mission critical duty cycles of the medium and heavy-duty (MHD) vehicles on the road today and is ready for MCS as the standard matures,” said Jeff Cohen, CEO of i-charging USA.

Founded in 2019, i-charging is headquartered in Porto, Portugal, and Atlanta. The ETL certification advances its push into the North American fleet market, but the company hasn’t yet disclosed its first US or Canadian customers or deployment dates.