40 kW vehicle-to-vehicle DC fast charger introduced to Australia

Victoria-headquartered EV charging solutions manufacturer Alpine Energy has introduced its vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) electric vehicle (EV) fast charger, the MGEN M40, designed to deliver rapid EV charging in locations with no grid connection, permits or civil works.

Targeting regional roadside recovery, mobile automotive service and remote industries, the MGEN M40 has the ability to be driven to the point of need and to charge on the spot, with prototypes being rolled out to operational partners.

The current prototype delivers up to 40 kW of DC output — approximately 65 km of driving range for every 15 minutes of charging — with open charge point protocol (OCPP)-compliant telemetry and fourth generation (4G)/long-term evolution (LTE) connectivity.

Alpine Energy has partnered with Bulgaria-headquartered Ampernext, adapting Ampernext’s battery-coupled DC-DC charging technology to the operational requirements of the Australian market.

MGEN M40 adds an 88% increase on EV DC chargers in use by NRMA, which offers a roadside service that charges at 9.6 kW with a lithium-ion battery capacity of 4.8 kWh, adding approximately 1 kilometre of range for every two minutes of charging, where a ten minute charge gives approximately 5 km of driving range, acting as a ‘limp mode’ to reach a nearby charging station, or the next option is to tow.

Alpine Energy Founder and Managing Director Mark Wexler said until now, charging an electric vehicle has usually meant bringing the vehicle to the infrastructure.

“The MGEN M40 is built to do the opposite, to bring rapid charging to the vehicle, wherever it is,” Wexler said.

“The cases that drive us are the hardest ones: getting a stranded driver moving again when there’s no charger for kilometres and keeping fleets running where the grid simply doesn’t reach.”

“There is real, field-validation work ahead, but a mobile, vehicle-to-vehicle approach points to a genuinely new way of delivering energy where it’s needed most.”

The MGEN M40 has the potential to also serve emergency response, keeping vehicles and equipment running in bushfire, flood and cyclone-affected areas.

Mining

Product development has been done in collaboration with global engineering and connectivity partners such as EXOR Oceania, which supports the platform’s deployment and is helping open access to operators in the mining sector.

EXOR Oceania Founder Carlo Sportiello said EXOR partners with organisations applying technology to solve practical operational challenges in emerging industries.

“The MGEN M40 represents an innovative approach to mobile energy deployment and EV charging infrastructure, particularly in environments where conventional charging solutions may not be practical,” Sportiello said.

To continue testing of the product, operational partners such as roadside-recovery and fleet operators, mobile automotive service providers and remote-industry businesses are being sought for the early deployment and field-validation program.