DC Megacharger wins Houska Prize 2025

The AIT Austrian Institute of Technology has won first place in the Houskapreis 2024, Austria’s most renowned private award for applied research, with its groundbreaking DC Megacharger (formerly known as Project MEDUSA). The project was recognized in the category Extraterritorial Research for its high practical and economic relevance.

Revolutionizing Heavy-Duty E-Mobility

Coordinated by the AIT Center for Energy, then project pioneers a new generation of multi-megawatt fast-charging stations directly connected to the medium-voltage grid, enabling a drastic reduction in charging times for electric heavy-duty vehicles. While conventional systems require around 4 hours to charge a 400-kWh bus battery, the new technology achieves this in just eight minutes. Combining battery storage systems and photovoltaics, the technology ensures an efficient and low-emission energy supply – a key step toward the global electrification of freight and public transport.

“This award highlights how crucial applied research is for Austria’s competitiveness – exactly what we need to accelerate the transition to sustainable technologies,”

says Brigitte Bach, Managing Director and Spokesperson of the AIT Executive Board.