Volkswagen Previews EV-Charging Mobile Robot
With blinking eyes and R2-D2 sounds.
Volkswagen has just teased a new robot that moves around parking lots and charges electric vehicles on its own. The concept was first shown in late 2019, and Volkswagen has been developing it since. It appears the German automaker liked the concept so much that little to no changes were made to the initial prototype.
Volkswagen released a short 45-second video of the robot, offering a close look at its sleek box-shaped silhouette and glossy surface while showing the robot in action. It pulls up to electric vehicles and slots battery chargers into them. It has a sturdy arm, blinking digital eyes and it makes R2-D2-esque noises. The robot then returns to its home base or moves on to another EV that’s in need of charging. Volkswagen is calling this technology “car-to-x” or “V2X vehicle-to-everything.” It complements the rising demand for electric vehicles and could equip parking lots with a charging infrastructure that doesn’t require installing charging stations at every space. Volkswagen has yet to confirm a solid launch date for the robots, but the company has mentioned they’ve “successfully reached prototype status and will now be comprehensively further developed.”
Scroll above to watch the preview of Volkswagen’s autonomous EV-charging robot.
In case you missed it, check out Volkswagen’s 2022 Golf R with 315 BHP.
