Siemens and OMV have placed the first commercial SICHARGE FLEX high-power charging system into operation at an OMV station in Kufstein, Austria. The site serves electric trucks and passenger cars on the Brenner route, a major transport corridor between Germany and Italy.
The initial installation provides six DC charge points: four for passenger cars and two for trucks, each rated at up to 400 kW. The modular system supports a total power range from 480 kW to 1.68 MW, while a later phase is planned to add four truck charging points delivering 600 kW to 1,200 kW through the Megawatt Charging System (MCS).
From product announcement to a live charging site
Siemens and OMV officially commissioned the Kufstein system on 29 September 2026. Siemens identifies OMV as the pilot customer and first user of SICHARGE FLEX, which was unveiled in October 2025.
The milestone moves the platform from a published specification into commercial operation under mixed vehicle demand. At a freight-corridor location, charging throughput, power allocation and site availability matter more than a headline charger rating alone.
How the initial configuration is arranged
The first phase separates four passenger-car charge points from two truck charge points. Siemens states that each point can provide up to 400 kW, allowing the location to support different vehicle sizes and dwell-time requirements within one charging architecture.
In the next phase, OMV plans to add four truck charge points with MCS outputs between 600 kW and 1,200 kW. The phased layout illustrates an important procurement principle: the grid connection, power cabinets, dispensers, cable system and software should be assessed as one expandable site architecture rather than as isolated chargers.
Dynamic distribution changes the design conversation
SICHARGE FLEX dynamically distributes the available charging power among connected vehicles. This can avoid reserving the maximum nameplate output for every bay at the same time, but it makes the operating rules behind that allocation important.
- Model realistic demand: use expected arrival patterns, vehicle battery sizes and dwell times rather than adding every outlet rating together.
- Define priority rules: document how power is assigned between trucks, passenger cars and fleet commitments.
- Review degraded operation: determine how reduced grid capacity or an unavailable power module affects every connected outlet.
- Specify system responsibility: identify ownership of metering, backend communications, remote monitoring and service access.
What the published charging example actually means
Siemens says a modern electric truck with a 620 kWh battery can be charged from 20% to 80% in about 45 minutes. The change in state of charge corresponds to roughly 372 kWh added to the battery.
This is a project example rather than a universal charging-time guarantee. Actual performance depends on the vehicle charge curve, battery temperature, starting state of charge, connector capability and the power being shared with other vehicles at the site.
Electrical design checks remain site-specific
A megawatt-class charging installation requires more than selecting dispensers. The project still needs a coordinated assessment of the utility connection, transformer and switchgear ratings, protection settings, prospective fault current, earthing, cable routing, thermal management and local permitting.
Future MCS capacity should be included in the initial load study even if those outlets are installed later. Otherwise, upstream distribution, cable routes or civil works may require costly modification during expansion.
Software is part of charger availability
The charging hardware is paired with SIFINITY Control, Siemens’ cloud-based monitoring and management platform. Remote visibility can help operators identify faults, review delivered energy and coordinate service activity.
Buyers should define connectivity, cybersecurity, data access, software-update policy and manual recovery procedures alongside the electrical scope. Remote management supports availability only when access rights, communications and support responsibilities are controlled.
What buyers and EPC teams should verify
- Guaranteed site output: confirm available power under normal and degraded operating conditions.
- Concurrent charging: state how many bays must operate at each minimum power level.
- Expansion scope: distinguish installed CCS and MCS components from future provisions.
- Control ownership: define who manages the energy-allocation logic, data and service credentials.
- Availability support: agree spare parts, response times and preventive-maintenance tasks.
- Safe circulation: verify truck turning space, cable reach, bollards and accessible charging bays.
Market significance
The Kufstein project demonstrates a move from single-purpose fast chargers toward modular energy systems that can serve different vehicle classes. OMV has also ordered SICHARGE FLEX systems for additional Austrian locations, with delivery and commissioning scheduled for the coming months.
For electrical suppliers and project teams, the opportunity extends beyond the charger itself to switchgear, protection, metering, cables, enclosures, communications and lifecycle services.
What the announcement does not establish
The published power values and charging-time example do not guarantee identical performance at every future site. Grid capacity, vehicle acceptance limits, simultaneous demand, temperature and the selected equipment configuration can change the result.
The four planned MCS truck points are a later project phase and should not be described as already operational. Specifications should separate the commissioned six-point installation from announced expansion capacity.
Takeaway
The first commercial SICHARGE FLEX deployment shows how modular power conversion, dynamically allocated output and separate vehicle dispensers can support a mixed truck-and-car charging hub. The design opportunity is significant, but reliable operation depends on coordinated upstream electrical design, realistic load modelling and clearly assigned software and service responsibilities.