Autofuel, a pioneer of automated refueling solutions, is developing high-efficiency EV charging solution
Published on: Aug 30, 2024
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Autofuel, a Danish company offering fully automated and robotic refueling systems, has recently announced the development of an EV charging solution.
For over a decade, the company has introduced innovative refueling solutions addressing gas stations and drivers’ biggest challenges. With the development of a new EV charging technology, Autofuel aims to make charging more accessible and spearhead a seamless, highly efficient experience for drivers and operators.
With a technical solution where robotic systems are moving along a rail, Autofuel is able to operate multiple chargers with a single robot. Additionally, the system is able to prioritize charging based on the amount of time, and charge level, the driver requires. This ensures an efficient rotation of EV plugs for all the cars parked in the Autofuel bay. The company’s mission is to make sure that when the car is parked, charging is no longer the driver’s concern.
“For drivers, the major benefit is that you can leave your car at a parking lot and not worry about when the car will be charged – you just leave it there and know you will return to a car charged to your desired level,” says Jonas Thor Olsen, Co-founder and CEO of Autofuel. “This is ideal for business car parks, shopping malls, and any place with large parking lots. For operators, if you have a parking lot, let’s say at an airport, you can’t install an EV charger at every spot, this wouldn’t make business sense. With our system you can spare the EV chargers, and have the system rotate them efficiently between vehicles and drivers with different requirements, including price,” says Jonas Thor Olsen. He explains that the system will charge cars that will be staying in the parking bay for longer when the price of the electricity is lower, meanwhile, drivers requiring more urgent recharging will pay higher fees.
Alongside technical breakthroughs like the Internet and smartphones, car refueling has barely evolved. Drivers are still required to give their full attention to refueling, preventing them from having a more comfortable and convenient experience at the pump. Autofuel has transformed this process with its proprietary refueling technology. A cloud-based registration system and robotic arm enable drivers to seamlessly receive their preferred fuel type with no direct involvement. The company is looking to apply this valuable technology to electric and hybrid vehicles. The world is steadily moving away from non-renewable fuel types and Autofuel is ready to support this transition. However, the team is working to create a unique, highly effective system that isn’t merely an adaptation of their existing technologies. EV drivers and charging operators face a different set of challenges, which should be considered in software development.
Although the project is still in its early stages, Autofuel has proposed a cutting-edge robotic charging technology that will give drivers more freedom. The process will also allow gas stations and parking lot operators to unlock higher income and faster car flow. This new system will leverage a robotic arm similar to Autofuel’s well-known refueling technology. However, the program will do more than plug-in chargers. Autofuel’s software will consider driver arrival and departure times alongside current battery level and electricity costs. These factors will determine when and how long each car should be charged for. Without the intervention of this smart technology, drivers will struggle to receive the power they need. Similarly, operators may be charging cars at costly hours rather than optimizing how they use energy.
Autofuel’s EV charging technology will make EV charging more accessible and cost-effective for thousands of cities once it’s fully implemented. The company is seeking partners to accelerate the design and deployment of this offering. Autofuel was inspired to create an EV charging solution because the existing infrastructure was too much of a hassle for drivers and operators. Parking lots and gas stations rarely have enough charging ports and cars are commonly charging for longer than necessary. By proposing a smarter approach, Autofuel is elevating the experience for all stakeholders.
As Autofuel evolves this upcoming EV charging technology, the company will continue exploring refueling applications for other fuel types such as hydrogen. The company’s mission is to facilitate future mobility technology with forward-looking solutions that serve as an automated link between cars and a spectrum of energy types.
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