BYD shows a robotic arm that charges electric cars at up to 1,000 kW

Chinese car maker BYD has shown a robotic fast-charging arm for electric cars at a media event in the United Arab Emirates, Zoomit reported.

The arm locates the car's charge port on its own, opens the cover, connects the cable and disconnects it when charging ends, using visual detection and force-feedback control. The unit on show supports several international connector standards and reached an output of 1,000 kW in field tests in the Emirates.

The presented station combines solar panels, battery storage and high-power charging equipment. BYD also showed one-touch automatic park-and-charge, where a compatible car drives itself into the bay and starts charging without a person involved.

The company has not given a commercial launch date or a price. It plans to install 100 fast chargers in Europe by the end of 2026 and 3,000 by the end of 2027.