Comprehensive Guide to electric vehicle charging systems

Autonomous charging for cars and e-trucks: maximum potential for the future

Reading time: 6 Minute(s)

Date: October 1, 2024

Mobility

Efficiency, range and autonomous charging solutions in focus

The arguments that electric vehicles are still too expensive, take too long to charge, have too short a range or always require a cable to be held for charging still deter many customers from buying an electric car. Similarly, the demands for more environmentally friendly mobility in the industrial sector also present companies with challenges. For example, for electric mobility to become an economically viable alternative for logistics companies, solutions are needed that not only ensure fast, reliable charging and long ranges, but can also be integrated into the depot in a space-saving way. Fortunately, the development of charging systems for electric vehicles is progressing rapidly. The range now includes not only manually operated charging systems, but also autonomous solutions.

Read on to find out which charging systems offer the most potential for which types of vehicles and how an underbody charging solution enables efficient and space-saving charging of passenger cars and e-trucks.

Overview of charging solutions for electric vehicles

By now, there are a wide variety of charging systems tailored to the needs of different vehicle types, ranging from passenger cars to electric buses and industrial and commercial vehicles. The broad selection includes everything from a simple household outlet to powerful fast-charging stations, as well as innovative, automated solutions such as underbody charging.

You can find an overview here:

Term	Technology	Charging Power	Application	Description	Potential
Household socket (Schuko socket)	Conductive plug-in solution	up to 2,3 kW	Cars	Widely used, but slow charging times, suitable as an emergency solution.	low
Wallbox	Conductive plug-in solution	3,7 kW to 22 kW	Cars	Ideal for daily use at home, safer and more efficient than normal sockets.	high
Public charging stations	Conductive plug-in solution	11 kW to 50 kW	Cars	Crucial for the broad acceptance of electric vehicles, available at many locations.	high
Fast charging stations (DC fast charging)	Conductive plug-in solution	50 kW to over 350 kW	Cars	Important for long-distance driving, relatively short charging times.	very high
Inductive charging (wireless charging)	Inductive solution	3,6 kW to 11 kW (cars) 50 kW to 150 kW (e-trucks)	Cars, e-trucks	Convenient and user-friendly, but still technological challenges and higher costs.	medium to high
Mobile charging solutions (portable chargers)	Conductive plug-in solution	up to 3,7 KW (cars), up to 50 kW (e-Trucks)	Cars und e-trucks	Flexible and useful for emergencies or remote locations, less efficient than fixed solutions.	medium
High-Power Charging Stations (HPC)	Conductive plug-in solution	150 kW to 500 kW	Cars, light commercial vehicles	Crucial for fast charging of e-trucks, especially on long-distance routes.	very high
Phantograph Charging	Conductive contact solution	150 kW to 1 MW	E-trucks, e-buses, electric industrial vehicles	Ultra-fast and automatic charging, ideal for fleets and public transport	high
Depot Charging	Conductive plug-in or pantograph solution	50 kW to 150 kW	E-trucks, e-buses	Efficient for overnight charging or during longer periods of idle time in logistics centers.	hoch
Megawatt Charging System (MCS)	Conductive plug-in solution	over 1 MW	E-Trucks und e-buses	Extremely high charging power, still in development, enormous potential for heavy-duty	very high
Underbody Charging	Conductive solution	1 MW	Cars and e-trucks	Automatic charging through a charging device embedded in the ground, particularly user-friendly and space-saving, suitable for urban and private applications as well as logistics centers.	high

The Underbody Charger as a charging system for electric cars and e-trucks

The Underbody Charger is an efficient charging solution that is suitable for both cars and trucks. The system offers a high-performance and space-saving way to efficiently charge electric vehicles by integrating the charging infrastructure into the ground. The automatic charging process can be completed in just a few minutes, even with a completely discharged battery, and can be easily integrated into the daily use of the vehicles.

How the Underbody Charger works

The Underbody Charger works by having the vehicle drive over a charging device embedded in the ground. The charging system extends, connects to the docking device built into the vehicle floor as soon as the vehicle is correctly positioned and automatically starts the charging process. With a charging power of up to 1 MW, the vehicle can be fully charged during normal loading and unloading operations without the need for additional charging breaks. After charging, the charging system retracts back into the ground so that the space can continue to be used.

How users benefit from the automated underbody charging system

Space-saving: Integration into the ground means that no additional space is needed for charging stations. A clear advantage in confined urban areas and logistics centers.
High charging power: With up to 1 MW of charging power, the Underbody Charger enables fast charging cycles, maximizing vehicle efficiency and uptime.
Automation: No need to hold cables! The charging process is fully automatic, with no need for the driver to leave the vehicle or manually connect cables. This saves time and reduces the workload.
Safety: Since no direct handling of high-voltage cables is required, the risk of accidents and electrical hazards is minimized.
Flexibility: Suitable for both passenger cars and commercial vehicles, this system offers a versatile charging solution for various vehicle types and applications.

In these applications, the underbody charger scores

The Underbody Charger comes into its own wherever space-saving solutions and fast charging are required. The automated charging system is therefore particularly suitable for use in urban and industrial environments.
For example in:

Urban logistics centers: Ideal for use in densely populated urban areas where space is a limited resource.
Warehouses and depots: Enables efficient use of downtime while vehicles are being loaded and unloaded.
Public Charging Station: The underbody charger can also be installed at public charging station for long haul logistics

This video clip shows exactly how the charging system for electric vehicles works.

Promising developments for attractive e-mobility

Even if long charging times, limited ranges and the handling of high-voltage cables still pose challenges, there are now promising developments for a wide range of requirements that have the potential to overcome these hurdles. Automated charging systems such as the Underbody Charger maximize efficiency by providing high charging power and space-saving installation in the floor. They offer a safe, automatic charging option, which is particularly advantageous in urban logistics centers and private garages. Overall, these developments are helping to make e-mobility economically viable and attractive.

FAQ Underbody Charger for e-trucks and e-cars

How long does it take to charge an electric vehicle with the underbody charging system?

Compared to plug-in solutions, autonomous charging with the Underbody Charger offers time savings of 75 percent. The charging power of 1 megawatt reduces the charging time for electric cars from 45 minutes to 10 minutes. For e-trucks, the charging time is 30 minutes instead of 2 hours.

How does fast charging affect the lifespan of batteries?

The Underbody Charger is designed for fast charging of modern batteries that can be charged at a rate of 3, 4 or 5C. With this battery standard, fast charging has no negative impact on the vehicle batteries.

How much does the on-board hardware weigh?

For our series product, the weight will be between two and three kilograms.

Where can I see the underbody charger working?

The Underbody Charger is used in a variety of projects. For example