RAM, a subsidiary of the automotive group Stellantis, has revealed its new electric RAM pickup concept. Included in the reveal was a robot that takes the place of a wireless charging pad used in most other EV wireless charging solutions. The robot is installed in the area in which the vehicle is to be parked, once the pickup is parked the robot will then align itself with the receiving coil on the vehicle allowing for optimal alignment between the transmitting coil on the robot and the receiving coil on the vehicle. While the vehicle is charged wirelessly, the power to charge the vehicle still comes via a cable attached to the robot.
This is a novel solution to the issue of alignment faced by all forms of inductive charging, the solution makes the position of the vehicle irrelevant as long as it is within reach of the robot. Such a system may be of a benefit to RAM and any other Stellantis brands that adopt the system. This charging robot may also be of use in winning customers from away from Ford’s F-150 Lightning when the RAM Electric Pickup releases. A potential issue for this system is going to be the added price over a wall charger or charging pad such that used by Genesis with the GV60.
SAR covers the wireless charging of EVs as a part of its wider Wireless Power and Charging Technologies service.
