The mobile battery for charging electric heavy vehicles is here. How it works
MILAN – The electrified vehicle revolution is also affecting the heavy-duty vehicle design and manufacturing sector. Specifically, construction sites are starting to see excavators and other machines that no longer run on diesel, but plug in. Charging these 30-ton giants in just a few minutes—like cars—is the new challenge for manufacturers. Enter the startup Dimaag-AI, founded by a former Tesla co-founder, which has developed an innovative solution: the Megawatt Mobile Charger. Essentially, it's a large battery on wheels, remotely controlled from a control center, which can charge up to 6 MW of power to multiple electric vehicles simultaneously. With a 295 kWh battery pack and a modular DC-to-DC converter, this "batterymobile" can deliver up to 1,000 volts and 1,500 amperes.
The battery-powered vehicle is equipped with four electric motors, one per wheel, with all-wheel drive and all-wheel steering for greater maneuverability. Its top speed is 35 km/h and there is the option for autonomous driving.
The MWCS features a compact DC-DC converter and a durable energy storage system (ESS), both enhanced by an advanced thermal management system. This ensures safety and longevity while delivering high power. Thanks to its modular design, the system can be scaled to meet different power needs, making it a versatile solution for construction sites and beyond.
Ian Wright, Vice President of Engineering at Dimaag and co-founder of Tesla, comments on the vehicle's features: "Our collaboration with Komatsu offers practical electrification solutions that outperform equivalent diesel engines while reducing costs."
Meanwhile, Taisuke Kusaba, CTO of Komatsu, comments: “Despite the challenges in developing the market for electric construction equipment, primarily due to installation costs and the need for adequate power infrastructure, we remain committed to accelerating our market development efforts through collaboration with companies like Dimaag, in pursuit of our challenging goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.”
repubblica
