Autocar is collaborating with Rocsys to enable hands-free charging for Autocar's electric terminal tractors.
"Hands-free charging is a pivotal advancement in the electrification of commercial vehicle fleets," remarked Andrew Taitz, chairman of Autocar. "This collaboration underscores our commitment to staying at the forefront of EV adoption and providing our customers with a broad range of powertrain solutions to support their specific needs.
"Providing hands-free charging for Autocar customers means they won't have to piecemeal charging solutions together when they purchase EV trucks from us. All they need will come in one package – ‘always up' EV trucks combined with non-manual charging set up for them onsite. By eliminating the need for manual intervention, hands-free charging ensures uninterrupted and efficient charging operations round the clock, enhancing fleet productivity and sustainability," Taitz continued.
With a pilot order already secured, Autocar and Rocsys are poised for their collaboration.
"We're thrilled to collaborate with Autocar in providing our hands-free charging solutions for their electric vehicles," said Crijn Bouman, CEO and co-founder of Rocsys. "Autocar's dedication to innovation and sustainability aligns perfectly with our vision of safer, efficient, and more seamless e-mobility, making them the ideal partner as we explore the potential of hands-free charging for ports and distribution centers."
Bouman added that hands-free charging streamlines the charging process but also minimizes wear and tear on charging cables and connectors, ensuring. Rocsys chargers are compatible with any high-power DC charging station utilizing a CCS-1 charging connector. Rocsys utilizes a combination of soft robotics, computer vision technology, and advanced AI to create an ideal charging process. Throughout the pilot, Rocsys will capture hundreds of images that its system will use to work towards a 99 percent successful plug-in rate before deployment.
