Volkswagen launches automatic charging robot without human intervention

On December 28, Volkswagen Group Parts Company announced its prototype of its mobile charging robot, which is one of Volkswagen’s visions of charging concepts to expand its charging infrastructure in the next few years.

The task of this mobile charging robot is to provide fully automatic charging services for cars in a limited parking area (such as an underground parking lot). Thomas Schmall, CEO of Volkswagen Group Parts Company explained: 'A wide range of charging infrastructure is and has been a key factor in the success of electric mobility.'

This charging robot can be turned on via a mobile phone app or Car-to-X communication system to achieve fully automatic work. It will independently guide the car to be charged and communicate with the vehicle: from opening the charging socket cover to connecting the socket and decoupling, the entire charging process does not require human intervention. The mobile robot will transport an essentially mobile energy storage device to the vicinity of the car, connect the energy storage device with the car, and charge the electric car. When charging, the energy storage device will stay near the car. At the same time, the robot leaves to charge other electric vehicles. Once it is full, the robot will independently retract the mobile energy storage device and bring it back to the place where the energy storage device is placed.

Schmall said: “Building an efficient charging infrastructure for the future is a core task that challenges the entire industry. We are developing some solutions to help avoid high-cost independent operation measures. Our mobile charging robots and flexible Fast charging stations are only two of them.'

Currently, Volkswagen Group Parts Company is committed to developing a complete DC charging solution. The flexible fast charging station is expected to be launched in early 2021. Its DC charging wallbox has been trialled in several German factories of the company for several weeks. The mobile charging robot has successfully launched a prototype and will now be further fully developed. One of the prerequisites for this solution to be maturely applied in the market is that the Car-to-X communication system can help the automatic charging process.

In view of the critical importance of this issue, the Volkswagen Group Parts Company will be responsible for the charging activities and charging systems of the entire group in the future, aiming to integrate charging robots into the overall concept of focusing on the long-term success of mobile travel, thereby realizing transportation Electrification. Schmall believes: 'The establishment of a charging infrastructure is a fundamental prerequisite for achieving this goal, but it needs to be demand-oriented and efficient. Our research and development not only focuses on customer needs and the technical conditions of electric vehicles, but also takes into account the economic viability of potential partners. The use of mobile charging robots can enable parking lot operators to quickly and simply 'electrify' any parking space, reducing the required construction work and potential costs.