CHARGING SOLUTIONS
Epiroc is developing a new in-housedesigned charger suited to the realities of the harsh underground mining environment
A rising capacity
Higher charge rates, larger capacities and automated interfaces are all part of the evolving BEV charging mix, Dan
Gleeson reports
The MCS Manual Dispenser, designed for high-power charging applications, boasts a power delivery of up to 4.5 MW( 1,500 V
DC / 3,000 A) of charging power
Cavotec introduced the MCS Connector and Inlet at bauma 2022 and it used the backdrop of the most recent edition of the world’ s biggest construction fair in Munich to launch a new charging system.
The MCS Manual Dispenser, designed for high-power charging applications, is the company’ s most recent product launch in this space, boasting a power delivery of up to 4.5 MW( 1,500 V DC / 3,000 A) of charging power. This allows the solution to charge a 1.5 MWh battery on a large haul truck in less than 20 minutes, according to Jörn Bullert, VP Product Management Charging Solutions at Cavotec, minimising downtime and enhancing operational efficiency.
“ It is also the first manual dispenser for up to 4.5 MW of charging power with a cable management system and intuitive grip,” he told IM, when differentiating between several other solutions on the market.
Key features of this solution include an integrated cooling system for the cable and connector to ensure efficient operation at high power levels; an ergonomic design with a cable management system offering a reach of up to 2.5 m and intuitive grip for easy manual connection; and compliance with high voltage charging standards. It is also able to charge vehicles in conditions ranging from-20 ° C up to + 40 ° C, and deal with the dusty environment witnessed at the toughest environments, such as mine sites, the company says.
Since its 2022 launch, Cavotec has expanded its portfolio to include Megawatt DC chargers and both automated and manual connection systems, providing robust charging solutions for the most demanding environments.
“ For example, we have been on site at a mine in Australia testing a proof-of-concept MCS solution for off-highway vehicles offering up to 3 MW of power since March 2024,” Bullert said.“ This exercise has been invaluable in enhancing our understanding of the environmental challenges with openpit mining.”
While the initial proof-of-concept turnkey charging solution featured an automated setup, the manual dispenser on show in Munich is designed to accommodate a diverse range of electrified machinery.“ We are thinking about graders, wheel loaders, ancillary vehicles and such that will be fitted with batteries in the future,” Bullert said.
“ By having a flexible and manual solution that can plug into connectors across the equipment’ s footprint, we can ensure there are options for the whole fleet of machines on a mine site.”
It should be remembered that Cavotec is also not just catering to mining with such a solution; it expects to power electric construction machinery, e-trucks, vessels and others.
Although 4.5 MW is the current maximum charging power according to the MCS standard, Bullert mentioned that the current solution could potentially provide up to 6 MW, aligning with the future ruggedised- MCS( R-MCS) standard, as outlined in CharIN’ s latest whitepaper.
“ When going to this level, we could potentially charge a 1.5 MWh battery from 15 to 85 % state-of-charge in approximately 10 minutes,” he said.“ That is significant when it comes to machine uptime, which is a big factor for mining companies looking to electrify their fleets.”
Epiroc enabling enhanced BEV use
Epiroc is leveraging its long history of developing underground mining equipment – including both DC and AC Kiruna trolley trucks – to help the current crop of companies charge new generation batteryelectric machines.
16 International Mining | MAY 2025