Announced in a new website portal on Tuesday, June 14, EV Safe Charge is using its impeccable battery knowledge with a fully autonomous mobile robot meant to provide large parking garages with a simplified solution to on-demand power. The product offers EV drivers a way to turn practically any space into a charging stall through the robot's sophisticated summoning procedure built on top of various energy sources.
Known for several previous mobile charging solutions built specifically for name-brand automakers, such as its mobile rental charging station for Jaguar's EV called the I-PACE, EV Safe Charge has remained firmly situated within the space for quite some time. The firm has worked alongside Porsche, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and more in its charging technology know-how. Now, it's putting that deeply ingrained knowledge to the test with Ziggy.
Together with industrial design studio Box Clever, EV Safe Charge built the Ziggy robot in order to provide consumers with a more state-of-the-art charging system through integrated app-based and in-vehicle features. While Box Clever assisted with the outside design, brand identity, and onboard UX, EV Safe Charge ensured its battery potential and mobility factor worked in tandem to deliver a system unlike any other for large-scale garages and other assorted venues.
"Strong EV sales and emissions reduction goals are creating a more sustainable future, but EV charging infrastructure isn't keeping up. Ziggy is a flexible and simple solution for virtually any office, mall or apartment complex to help meet growing charging needs of its tenants and guests without expensive, time-consuming infrastructure and installation investment, if it's even possible," EV Safe Charge CEO and co-founder Caradoc Ehrenhalt explains. "In many cases, especially in older buildings, adding EV chargers isn't an option until now."
Ziggy will be able to recharge from the likes of several various energy sources through its main power grid, including solar energy, battery storage, and a combination of both. If no onsite charging infrastructure is available, Ziggy will still have offsite charging capabilities, so potential consumers aren't left out of the mix. The robot will be able to hold a parking spot for the user and allows for plug-in charging when the vehicle is parked.
The company is currently working on leasing options for the Ziggy robot through a Charging-as-a-Service model, wherein businesses will pay for a subscription service to utilize the device alongside several technical and maintenance support options. Ziggy will also come equipped with several screens for on-board advertising, allowing specific business owners interesting financial use cases for the Ziggy robot beyond its charging capabilities.
As it stands right now, Ziggy's charging capabilities are at Level 2 speeds, but according to Electrek, the brand is working to implement Level 3 charging into the robot's first year of mass production. EV Safe Charging is hoping to equip itself with some additional funding through a future seed round to bump up marketing and production cost necessities for the Ziggy robot. Full production isn't supposed to start until 2023, but Ziggy reservations have already begun.
