Mercedes ELF Tests Future EV Charging Solutions - CleanTechnica

Mercedes is actively advancing future electric vehicle (EV) charging technologies through its Experimental Lade Fahrzeug (ELF) electric van, which serves as a mobile testing platform for a variety of cutting-edge charging solutions. The ELF supports multiple charging standards, including CCS (Combined Charging System) high-power charging and MCS (Megawatt Charging System) designed for heavy-duty trucks, as well as wireless charging. It also experiments with both AC and DC vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technologies. Mercedes emphasizes that efficient, intelligent, and sustainable charging is crucial to the broader goal of responsible electric mobility, and the ELF embodies this vision by integrating ultra-fast, bi-directional, solar, inductive, and conductive charging within a holistic framework. The ELF van is pushing the boundaries of charging power, aiming to increase CCS charging speeds from the current typical maximum of 350-400 kW up to 900 kW, potentially enabling a full charge in about 10 minutes. It also tests components such as cables