Expanding standardization across new frontiers
This year’s conference centered on how global charging standards can extend far beyond automotive applications. Speakers and panelists highlighted the growing demand for reliable megawatt-scale charging, the crucial role of AI-driven energy orchestration, and the strengthening need for cybersecurity, conformance testing, and cross-sector interoperability.
By bringing together researchers, OEMs, charge point operators, fleets, and infrastructure innovators, the event set the stage for a future in which heavy-duty transport, marine vessels, industrial fleets, and even future electric aircraft benefit from unified and intelligent charging systems.
Opening keynotes
Megawatt Charging Systems in real-world logistics
Andres Barentin, CharIN Ambassador, explored the electrification of demanding heavy-duty routes, from mining corridors in northern Chile to cross-border operations between Tijuana and San Diego. While many routes are technically feasible today using battery-electric trucks, he emphasized that Megawatt Charging System (MCS) adoption, backed by global standardization, is crucial for removing operational constraints. He also highlighted the combined importance of charging speed, grid integration, and energy management strategies to unlock scalable, economically viable heavy-duty electrification.
Advancing efficiency and safety in ultra–high-power charging
Hosseini outlined the growing importance of charging efficiency, protection, and interoperability as heavy-duty and marine applications move beyond today’s 1 MW systems. He highlighted Blowind’s new 3 MW (up to 3.75 MW) charger, designed in alignment with IEC, IEEE, and CharIN standards to support next-generation ultra–high-power charging.
He emphasized the role of intelligent control, driven by a reinforcement-learning DQN agent optimized for PLC environments, to ensure safe state transitions, component protection, and reliable operation under both normal and faulty conditions.
High-power charging efficiency & safety
This session explored how modular, standardized remote switch units can simplify charging system integration for heavy-duty BEV trucks. By replacing bespoke designs with off-the-shelf, standards-aligned components, fleets can achieve high-current switching, integrated protection, and comprehensive monitoring while maintaining safety, interoperability, and upgrade flexibility. Real-world insights covered thermal management, fault handling, communication protocols, and packaging considerations, demonstrating how these modular systems reduce engineering effort, speed validation, and lower total cost of ownership. The approach supports scalable deployment across diverse vehicle platforms and prepares European fleets for future multi-standard charging solutions.
Charging efficiency: Cables and couplers considerations for heavy-duty fast charging
This presentation highlighted the key technical challenges and considerations for fast charging of heavy-duty electric vehicles. It focused on the impact of high currents on cable sizing, thermal generation, and component complexity, and examined how different cable technologies, coupler designs, and cooling methods influence charging performance, energy efficiency, and system reliability. Real-world use cases demonstrated how optimizing materials, connector designs, and thermal management strategies can reduce energy losses and support a cost-effective total cost of ownership, paving the way for scalable, zero-emission transport solutions.
Stäubli, a long-time partner in MCS development and production, was also recognized for supporting component innovation and for joint testing efforts during previous Testivals.
Panel 1: Efficient, scalable, and intelligent fast-charging for heavy-duty vehicles
The first panel examined the technical and operational requirements for robust heavy-duty electrification. Speakers discussed high-power systems derived from mining and industrial deployments, showcasing modular architectures, advanced thermal management strategies, optimized connectors, and safety-driven risk assessments.
Key insights emphasized:
- The importance of standardization for cross-border and corridor freight
- How MCS streamlines logistics and reduces dwell times
- Energy optimization approaches that stabilize operating costs
- The interoperability challenges still facing global heavy-duty fleets
Collectively, the panel demonstrated how a combination of harmonized standards and intelligent operational strategies can accelerate heavy-duty electrification across Europe and beyond.
"The importance of fostering collaboration and synergies among the different stakeholders in heavy-duty vehicles: trucks, buses, and mining equipment, while seeking integrated solutions between charging infrastructure, batteries, and the management of the charging process itself."Arturo P. de Lucia, General Director from AEDIVE
Panel 2: Cybersecurity securing the EV ecosystem
Key insights emphasized:
- Holistic security architecture
Deployment of zero-trust principles, automated certificate management, end-to-end encryption, and AI-driven anomaly detection, validated by more than 10,000 incident-free charging sessions. - Real-world threats
Findings from live penetration tests revealed roaming fraud, backend misconfigurations, and critical gaps in CPO, OEM, and EMP implementations. - Protocol-aware fuzz testing
A new approach to stress-testing ISO 15118-20 and TLS protocols at both controller and vehicle layers, with recommendations to integrate these tools directly into CharIN certification workflows. - Device to ecosystem risks
Analysis of vulnerabilities showing more than half of tested chargers exposed to zero-day exploits, demonstrating how a single compromised device can cascade across the entire charging ecosystem.
Silver lining:
- Production-grade cybersecurity is achievable at scale.
- Threats are active, not theoretical.
- Proactive testing must be embedded in product development.
- Ecosystem-wide collaboration is essential to counter device-level risks
Panel 3: Conformance testing, the foundation of true interoperability
With EV infrastructure expanding rapidly across Europe, this panel underscored how conformance testing ensures CCS2 functionality translates reliably from specification to deployment. The discussion focused on the following areas:
Testing advanced CCS2 Capabilities
- High-power charging above 350 kW
- Plug & Charge and seamless roaming
- Smart grid and renewable integration
- Digital services and data-driven models beyond energy delivery
Regional insights: southern europe
- Testing considerations for corridor charging
- Integration with renewable-heavy networks
- Specific challenges for Spanish and Mediterranean fleet operations
From innovation to deployment
Speakers explored “Charging Functionalities Beyond Charging,” showcasing how CCS2 evolves into a digital, service-enabled platform, and how conformance testing guarantees reliability, security, and backwards compatibility.
"For real interoperability, collaboration among laboratories, OEM manufacturers, and test system vendors is essential. Testing does not end when a product reaches the market; it must be a continuous process."Olga Rybakova, VEGA Chargers
Key insights emphasized:
Conformance testing is the linchpin of user confidence, interoperability, and market growth, ensuring Europe’s charging ecosystem remains reliable and future-ready.
Panel 4: Energy systems, V2G & integration
This session focused on two transformative innovations: transformerless charging and standardized V2G architectures.
V2G architecture standardization
- Designing interoperable blueprints for scalable bidirectional systems
- Aligning actors, interfaces, and data flows
- Supporting grid stability, renewables integration, and new business models
Transformerless DC charging
- Eliminates transformer losses and reduces weight and footprint
- Built upon PV inverter expertise from Fronius International
- Offers a path toward more efficient, compact, and cost-effective infrastructure
- Calls for industry-wide standardization of transformerless topologies
Silver lining:
The panel highlighted how combining transformerless technologies with standardized V2G frameworks can accelerate Europe’s transition toward flexible, grid-integrated, and economically optimized charging ecosystems.
Closing reflections
CharIN Conference EUROPE 2025 underscored the maturity and ambition of Europe’s electrification ecosystem. From AI-driven energy orchestration to next-generation megawatt charging systems, cybersecurity, and conformance testing, the event showcased how cross-sector collaboration is defining the future of mobility.
Special thanks go to all participants and moderators for their invaluable contributions throughout the event. We also extend our deep appreciation to Adriano Moyes, CharIN Ambassador, for his outstanding leadership and comprehensive moderation of the conference.
The conference closed with a shared commitment to continue advancing unified standards, supporting real-world deployments, and enabling electrification across every mode of transport: from trucks and buses to ships, aircraft, and industrial fleets.
Impressions of the CharIN Testival & Conference EUROPE 2025 – Spain
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Published on: 12/02/2025
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