The publication of IEC 61851-23-3:2026 marks an important milestone in the development of Megawatt Charging Systems (MCS). The full set of international standards required for the Megawatt Charging System (MCS) is now complete.
The new international standard (IEC 61851-23-3) defines the requirements for DC charging equipment for MCS, completing a core part of the standards framework that underpins megawatt charging.
The framework now includes:
- IEC TS 63379 — MCS connector and coupler
- ISO 15118-10 — automotive Ethernet physical and data link layer
- ISO 15118-20 — charging communication and energy transfer control
- ISO 5474-3 — vehicle requirements for DC power transfer
- IEC 61851-23-3 — requirements for MCS charging equipment
What this means in practice
Until now, manufacturers and operators have been developing and testing MCS solutions against a partially defined standard. With IEC 61851-23-3 now published, the industry has a formal international reference for MCS charging equipment. This provides a stronger basis for:
- Conformance testing and certification, with criteria now defined across the main elements of the charging system, from connector to communication protocol to charging equipment;
- Interoperability, by establishing common technical requirements for equipment developed by different manufacturers;
- Investment and deployment, by reducing uncertainty around the technical framework for megawatt charging infrastructure.
For the heavy-duty electric transport sector, this is an important step towards moving from pilot projects and technology demonstrations to the wider deployment of MCS infrastructure.
What comes next
The next phase will focus on testing, certification, interoperability validation and the deployment of the infrastructure required to support megawatt charging in real-world operating environments. This milestone is expected to accelerate investment decisions in MCS charging corridors across Europe and other key markets.
i-charging has been following this development closely and has designed solutions aligned with the standardisation process from its early stages.
Learn more about our high-power charging offer for heavy-duty vehicles, i-charging.tech/i-light/.
