Electric vehicle owners having to search for charging points could become a thing of the past thanks to a new robot charging system from Aiways. The Chinese company, best known for its all-electric SUV U5, has been granted European patents for a new autonomous mobile charging robot called CARL.

The owner parks their EV in a general designated area and will then use an app to summon the robot charger. CARL will then find the car, plug itself in and recharge. There is no need for the owner to be with the vehicle.

The unit has 30kwh and 60kwh capacities and can charge an EV battery to 80% in 50 minutes. Aiways says “CARL offers a flexible and economical charging solution to private and corporate customers, as well as infrastructure developers and operators."

Alex Klose, Vice President for Overseas Operations, AIWAYS commented, “Instead of drivers trying to find a charger, the charger will find them. We want to make EV ownership as simple, easy and enjoyable as possible, and CARL provides a blueprint for how EVs can be charged in the future.”