The first public megawatt charging point (MCS) for battery-electric trucks in Germany was officially put into operation on the A2 motorway. Representatives from politics, industry, research and the press took part yesterday in the official opening at the Lipperland Süd service station, which also included a live demonstration of MCS charging with a MAN eTGX. The event marks a milestone in the ‘HoLa – High-Performance Charging in Long-Distance Truck Transport’ project, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport and the EU. The aim is to test MCS technology under real-world conditions and to establish a continuous charging infrastructure along the A2 motorway.
MAN Truck & Bus is participating in the HoLa project together with the logistics company Duvenbeck and the freight forwarder Hillert. Since September 2025, Duvenbeck and Hillert have each been operating a MAN eTGX on the new HoLa route between Berlin and the Ruhr area.
The Hillert freight forwarding company from Bocholt mainly operates scheduled services for well-known CEP service providers. The HoLa project is very valuable for the company in terms of optimising loading for time-critical transport. ‘Electric trucks are not only a step towards sustainable logistics, but also a symbolic milestone on the road to a clean, green future – silent, but full of potential. We hope to see further rapid expansion of MCS stations so that the use of BEV vehicles can be further promoted,’ says Dennis Wirtz, Fleet Manager at Spedition Hillert. Spedition Duvenbeck is also using the emerging charging infrastructure for trucks. ‘As a full-service logistics provider with a sense of responsibility, we at Duvenbeck see electromobility as the key to the future. With the HoLa route between the Ruhr area and Wolfsburg, we are creating a new quality of cooperation in sustainable logistics – innovative, collaborative and future-oriented,’ explains Sabrina Welling, Business Support Manager at Duvenbeck Procurement.
Next year, MAN will also provide a series-production vehicle with MCS technology for the HoLa project, which will be equipped for megawatt charging ex works. This is expected to be in the second quarter of 2026, when production of the MCS technology will start on the MAN eTrucks series production line in Munich.
Dr Frederik Zohm, Executive Board Member for Research and Development at MAN Truck & Bus, explains the significance of MCS technology: “MAN demonstrated back in 2024 that our eTrucks are being developed for charging in the megawatt range. The reason is clear: megawatt charging will be a game changer for long-distance freight transport and regular coach services. Charging times can be reduced to such an extent that vehicles can be operated on long-distance routes without restrictions, comparable to today’s situation.”
The HoLa route will be the first continuous motorway corridor with charging points that support the Megawatt Charging System (MCS). Charging points with CCS and MCS technology are being installed at six locations along the A2 motorway, including Hamm, Bielefeld, Lehre, Dortmund and Wustermark. The HoLa project was initiated in 2021 by the VDA (German Association of the Automotive Industry) and is supported by a broad consortium. Fraunhofer ISI is providing scientific support, and a total of 13 partners from the commercial vehicle industry, energy supply, network operation and research are part of the HoLa project. With the start of operational testing, a new phase for electric long-distance transport in Germany is now beginning.
SOURCE: MAN Truck & Bus
