A charger that grows from underground

A car charging station in the form of a retractable pole – this is the solution that Łukasiewicz – Poznan Institute of Technology and Czysta Polska are working on. This is not the only innovation: artificial intelligence will allow it to select the optimal charging mode and manage the cost of energy purchase.

Electric cars are increasing in Poland: there are already more than 132,000 passenger cars (all-electric and plug-in hybrids, as of the end of October 2024). At the same time, we have 8184 publicly available points for charging them (4528 stations). Their availability is one of the barriers to the development of electromobility in Poland.

That is why Czysta Polska is developing a unique charger for e-cars in cooperation with Łukasiewicz – Poznan Institute of Technology.

What will it look like?

This is the first charger that will be underground. On the ground, at pavement level, there will only be a suitably marked flap. To charge the car, the driver will simply open it, pull out the cable and connect it to the car. Charging is then activated via an app on the phone.

Thanks to this solution, the charging station will blend in perfectly with any surroundings and will not disturb its aesthetics. It will also not be an obstacle for pedestrians or cyclists. At the same time, it will be well protected against harmful weather conditions.

The charging points will be connected in a cluster that will benefit from different power sources.

How will it work?

The points and clusters will be managed by cloud-based software based on artificial intelligence. It will have the ability to predict and plan charging operations.

The app will select the charging model by analysing vehicle data such as the capacity of its battery and its state of charge at the time of connection, data from the power grid indicating the availability and cost of energy, as well as user needs.

– The drivers will be able to determine what time their car needs to be charged, to what battery level, and what is most important to them, battery savings, time or cost. The system will then recommend a charging model to them and estimate its price,’ explains Tomasz Markowski, director of the Digital Transformation Centre at Łukasiewicz – PIT, where the software is being developed.

For whom?

The new stations will be ideal for housing estate or company car parks.

– The driver will be able to leave the car plugged in for the night or for the duration of work without worrying about costs, says Maciej Nowak, commercialisation director at Czysta Polska. – In stations available on the market, the driver is charged for the parking time after the actual charging is completed. Our charger will enable the vehicle to be connected free of charge once it has finished, he adds.

Drivers, accustomed to filling up their cars quickly at petrol stations, expect the charging of electrics to be just as fast. Only that fast charging is more expensive and less good for the batteries. They heat up more and wear out more quickly, giving the car less range. Fast charging stations also put a strain on the energy system. An underground charger, which dynamically manages the current draw from the grid, allows the car’s batteries to be topped up in a cost-effective manner that is safe for the battery itself and the power grid. In addition, it will not block charging areas for other vehicles, as these areas will not need to be marked.

Tests of the new station will begin early next year.