Rheinmetall AG’s new curbside electric vehicle charger is so unobtrusive it would be easy to miss it altogether, because the device basically becomes the curb. The charger is composed of a steel and aluminum module that replaces concrete curbs.
The charger is equipped with a 4D modem and Ethernet, as well as RFID tech. Users activate it either with a companion mobile app or by scanning a QR code. The charger can deliver up to 22kW, and drivers need to have their own charging cables. Rheinmetall debuted the device at an e-mobility conference in 2022 and has since implemented it in a pilot project in areas of Cologne-Lindenthal in Germany last year. The units successfully operated 99 percent of the time in all weather conditions, providing more than 2,800 charging cycles throughout the course of the pilot.
“Rheinmetall curb chargers blend into the cityscape almost invisibly, offering a solution to the challenges posed by existing charging systems, such as large space requirements, low point density, aesthetic downsides, and high cost,” the company said. Participants in the pilot gave it an overall rating of 4.38 out of 5, praising it for ease of use, “easier parking, easy usability even from the street, the absence of unnecessary protective bollards and the possibility of single-handed operation.” Their biggest complaint was its lack of visibility.
