Let’s be honest: juggling cables isn’t the most pleasant aspect of switching to e-mobility. As inductive charging still has to make its definitive mark, the Austrian companies Keba and Easelink now offer an intermediate step. You can charge your BEV at home without cables by attaching a plate underneath the car’s bodywork.

Austrian electric charging trailblazers Keba and Easelink have combined forces to develop so-called Matrix Charging. This technology automates the process of domestic charging by mounting a connector plate underneath the car. Driving into his garage, the owner parks his car above a charging pad on the floor, which then lowers and connects to the wall box. The process is fully automated.

Tested in taxis

This procedure significantly streamlines and elevates the charging experience for electric vehicles, making it both convenient and intelligent. The companies haven’t released any performance data but point out that this sophisticated interplay of vehicle and stationary units copes with considerably fewer losses than inductive charging.

The technology is not yet commercially on the market. Still, it has been tested successfully in the “eTaxi Austria” project, where over 60 electric taxis in Vienna and Graz benefitted from the hassle-free charging process without manually connecting the cable. There’s no information on the housing of the connector pad, while it could be vulnerable to damage as it’s placed underneath the car, a spot usually reinforced by the car maker.

Within the partnership, Keba is responsible for the wall boxes, with Easelink taking care of the automated conductive Matrix Charging technology. Easelink is working with leading international automotive companies and suppliers to establish its solution as a global standard.

Grid benefits

The presentation also points to the benefits for grid stability and bidirectional charging when a car is continuously connected. CTO of Keba Gerhard Weidinger: “The automation of the charging process and the continuous connection between the electric car and the home electrical system offer tremendous potential. This is especially true for optimizing charging with excess PV power, supporting grid stability, and enabling bidirectional charging under the concept of the vehicle to home.”

Specific pricing details, retrofit options (Keba has sold over half a million wall boxes), and market availability remain undisclosed. Still, with a low to medium adoption threshold, Matrix Charging could turn out to be the new kid on the block.