The ME SSR’s compact form factor is designed to slot into existing Battery Disconnect Unit housings without a full redesign
(Image courtesy of Munich Electrification)
Munich Electrification will bring solid-state battery disconnect technology to commercial vehicle drivetrains for the first time at IAA Transportation 2026, running September 15 to 20 in Hanover. The new Solid-State Relay, or ME SSR, is built to replace mechanical contactors and pyrotechnic fuses as the central high-voltage switch between an e-truck or e-bus battery and its drivetrain.
Why Munich Electrification is targeting disconnect reliability
The case for the launch centres on wear and downtime. Mechanical contactors degrade under high duty cycles, pyrotechnic fuses are single-use, and millisecond-range response times limit protection in high-voltage fault scenarios, the company argues. With commercial fleet profitability tied closely to vehicle uptime, Munich Electrification says engineering teams at OEMs and suppliers are increasingly addressing disconnect reliability earlier in system design.
How the ME SSR handles switching and protection
The ME SSR switches high-voltage circuits without arcing or mechanical wear, per the manufacturer. Product documentation specifies self-triggered fault interruption in under five microseconds, a figure CTO Timo Völkl also cites directly. Protection is software-defined and configurable rather than fixed by a physical fuse element, with self-testing built in to catch latent faults and generate data aimed at predicting failures before they occur. Every trip is resettable, meaning the unit returns to service once the fault condition clears, rather than requiring replacement of a blown, single-use fuse.
Intended benefits include higher drivetrain availability and service life, since there are no mechanical contacts to age or wear; functional safety designed around commercial vehicle requirements; shock and vibration resistance from the absence of moving parts; and simplified system integration through fewer components. No certification or homologation status has been confirmed for the unit.
“In commercial vehicles, uptime dictates the profitability of the entire vehicle,” Völkl said. “Mechanical contactors wear out, and pyrotechnic fuses only trigger once, every failure means repairs and downtime. The ME SSR switches purely electronically, wear-free, in under five microseconds, and resettable after every fault. This keeps the vehicle in operation instead of in the workshop.”
Two integration paths for OEMs
Two variants are on offer. A standalone version acts as a drop-in upgrade for existing Battery Disconnect Units, aimed at OEMs seeking improved switching performance without a full BDU redesign. An integrated module, the ME SSR Next, combines switching and sensor technology in a single unit, targeted at new platforms and projects consolidating BDU architecture.
Part of a wider system play
The launch extends Munich Electrification’s portfolio beyond battery management systems and sensor technology into high-voltage switching and disconnect hardware. Its battery management platform is already deployed across multiple OEM programmes, including heavy-duty trucks, and the ME SSR is positioned as complementary to the Battery Management Disconnect Unit introduced in May 2026. Munich Electrification has previously stated it supplies battery management technology to Daimler Truck for the eActros 300/400 electric trucks, a relationship also reported by S&P Global AutoTechInsight, though the current production scope of that arrangement has not been independently confirmed. The pitch to OEMs and suppliers is a single source for battery management, sensing, switching, and safety software, which the company says can reduce interfaces and validation effort from the electronic control unit through to the disconnect point.
Munich Electrification will display the ME SSR and ME SSR Next at Hall 19/20, Booth D42, alongside its existing battery management and sensor product lines.
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