MAN Truck & Bus, a European commercial vehicle manufacturer, and ABB E-mobility, announced a cooperation agreement at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The strategic partnership, primarily focused on research and development, aims to enhance collaboration in the commercial vehicle industry.
Thomas Nickels, senior vice president of engineering at MAN, highlighted the uniqueness of this partnership in the industry.
“Cooperation in the area of research and development is rather rare in our industry. Together with ABB E-mobility, we are striving for a trusting, binding and transparent partnership. We are already starting with the development of products and standards and are focusing on the special requirements of the commercial vehicle industry.”
The partnership is particularly significant in the development of megawatt charging systems (MCS), which are essential for sustainable and economical long-distance transport of heavy goods and passengers. “At MCS, we are working with players from the entire sector to enable charging capacities in the megawatt range in the future,” said Nickels. The collaboration with ABB E-mobility is expected to address early-stage challenges of new technology and accelerate standardization.
The partnership involves working on the ISO15118-20 communication standard and exploring new signal transmission methods. The foundation of MCS is Ethernet communication. The goal is to conduct early software and interoperability tests with vehicles and charging stations to establish reliable products in a rapidly evolving market.
Floris van de Klashorst, senior vice president of products and hardware platforms at ABB E-Mobility, emphasized the customer-centric approach of the partnership.
“High charging performance, reliable technology and customer confidence – these are the prerequisites for the success of electromobility in heavy goods and long-distance passenger transport. By working together with MAN right from the early product phase, we can respond even better to the needs of our customers. By 2025, we want to bring a product to the market that meets the requirements of logistics.”
The collaboration aims to create an ecosystem that functions seamlessly and reliably, addressing challenges like space, energy supply and grid expansion.
