ROBOTS, CHARGE!

VW has set out to give motorists a glimpse into the future of EV charging infrastructure, revealing a concept for an innovative mobile charging solution. The prototype comprises an autonomous robot and “battery wagons”. Fully charged, each wagon has an energy storage capacity of approximately 25 kwh and allows for DC fast charging of up to 50 kw. According to Mark Möller, head of development at VW Group Components, this system will spark a revolution in EV charging technology as its flexible design doesn’t require EV drivers to park their cars next to a fixed charging station when the battery needs a charge. They can simply park where they want, access the mobile charging service via a smartphone app or car-to-x communication and go about their day; the robot will take care of the rest. “Even the well-known problem of a charging station being blocked by another vehicle will no longer exist,” Möller says. Upon instruction, the robot hitches to a battery wagon and transports it to the specified vehicle. Myriad cameras, scanners and ultrasonic sensors allow for fully autonomous operation.