Islamabad-Volkswagen has unveiled a prototype of its mobile charging robot that wheels over to electric vehicles and refills them with power. The fully autonomous machine is designed for parking areas, such as underground garages, and is set to be rolled out sometime next year.
The robot tows a battery pack to a parked vehicle, which it prompts to open the charging socket flap, then connects the plug and decouples once charging is complete.
The prototype is inspired by a 2019 proof-of-concept and is fitted with large blinking eyes and R2-D2 noises. Thomas Schmall, CEO of Volkswagen Group Components, said: ‘A ubiquitous charging infrastructure is, and remains, a key factor in the success of electric mobility. Our charging robot is just one of several approaches, but is undoubtedly one of the most visionary.’
The charging robot is activated via an app after a driver parks their vehicle in a designated area. Then the wheeled machine attaches to a battery pack and steers towards the EV. The entire charging process takes place without any human involvement and it can be completed for multiple vehicles at once.
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