Photo Credit: YouTubeABB e-mobility used ACT Expo 2026 to showcase new charging equipment, from updated all-in-one units to modular systems capable of scaling to megawatt levels. But the company said the bigger issue for the next phase of EV infrastructure is not just speed — it is the long-term economics of running a site.What happened?At the show, ABB e-mobility head of product marketing Chris Thompson introduced the latest versions of the company's A-Series, M-Series, and X-Series chargers.Speaking during a booth tour with Out of Spec Reviews (@OutofSpecReviews), ABB framed the shift this way: "The first wave of charging was built for coverage. The next era is defined by a different question: what does it actually cost to deliver a kilowatt-hour across the full life of a site?"Among the updates, ABB said its all-in-one A400 now supports liquid-cooled cables. It also highlighted the modular M400 power cabinet, which can be combined with additional cabinets to deliver up to 1.2 megawatts of conversion power.AdvertisementAdvertisementABB positioned its expandable architecture for depots, fleets, and other heavy-duty charging operations that require a tailored setup rather than a fixed configuration.According to Thompson, M-Series installations are already underway in North America, with Walmart among the customers.For the X-Series, ABB focused on the driver-facing side of charging. The interface can be equipped with payment hardware, audio prompts, and a visual range display intended to make the process more intuitive for people new to EVs.In ABB's view, the key is to size and configure equipment around the work a site actually has to perform, rather than chase the highest advertised power figure.Why does it matter?Maximum charging speeds still draw most of the buzz.AdvertisementAdvertisementFor the people running charging sites — such as school districts, transit agencies, and freight companies — reliability and upkeep can matter more than brief bursts of maximum output.That concern is growing as more medium- and heavy-duty vehicles go electric.In the video's comments, one viewer who said they work for a Florida bus company wrote that "we have lots of new electronic buses that are having big issues with the charges falling apart because the lack of proper maintenance."The user experience matters too: public charging gets easier when payment is straightforward, displays are placed where drivers can see them, and the charger communicates more clearly.AdvertisementAdvertisementOne commenter pointed to that kind of detail, writing, "The ABB units have very nice screens located on the front so you can see them from your vehicle if you're parked head first," and adding that the setup is helpful in bad weather and when drivers want charging data their vehicles do not show.What's being done?To address that, ABB is pushing a configurable approach built around specific operating patterns, including overnight charging at depots.In the demo, the company walked through an internal planning tool its sales teams use to map out sites by weighing factors such as service needs, charging power, cable length, port count, and delivery timing.There is no single setup that fits every location.AdvertisementAdvertisementThat means operators can avoid paying upfront for capacity they may not use, while keeping the option to expand power later if utilization increases.Thompson distilled the approach into two lines: "Start with the mission profile of a customer. Don't start with the charger."He also summed up ABB's business case this way: "Peak power is for the showcase, continuous power is for the business case."Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.