Dubbed Thomas, the L-shaped autonomous robot can move around a constrained space like a multi-storey car park. EV drivers can request and pay for Thomas’s charging services via an app, after which it uses a combination of sensors and cameras to identify the vehicle’s licence plate. From there, the robot either slides under the car to charge it wirelessly, or the owner connects their car to Thomas manually via a charging cable. Within the app, drivers can also indicate whether this is a car park they frequent. If so, they can set up recurring charges on specific days and for set periods, further automating the process.
The time taken to charge will depend on the requirements of the specific vehicle, but overall, Thomas can charge cars for a collective 400km before the robot itself needs to be refuelled. It’s currently being trialled at a parking garage in Tel Aviv, and Batteri hopes to expand into the US and Japan in the future.
This type of autonomous charging-as-a-service could increase the perception of EVs as a convenient mode of transport to have – a reputation that many brands are trying to build via software perks, as we explore in Sustainable Automotive Design. As Batteri’s co-founder Tomer Shahaf told Israel-based tech website NoCamels: “Thomas would charge you up and you wouldn’t even know it, because you parked at your office or apartment or went shopping.” The goal is to completely eliminate the chore of charging (or refuelling), rewarding EV owners with more time.
For more on charging, see Advancing EV Infrastructure, part of our Spotlight Trend Accelerated Futures: The New Eco-Mobility.