VEHICLE WITH A CHARGING INTERFACE

Abstract

A vehicle (1) with a charging interface (5) comprising at least one electrical coupling unit (10) and an operating and / or information panel (15), and arranged in a vehicle body (2) to be movable between an operating position in which the electrical coupling unit (10) can be brought into operative connection with an electrical coupling element in the area of ​​an opening (6) in the vehicle body (2), and a non-operating position in which the coupling unit (10) and the operating and / or information panel (15) are arranged offset inwards relative to an outer surface (9) of the vehicle body (2), characterized in that the electrical coupling unit (10) and the operating and / or information panel (15) are movable together between the non-operating position and the operating position.wherein in the operating position a front side (16) of the control and / or information panel (15) facing the outer surface of the vehicle body (2) lies in an area (30) which is defined by the outer surface (9) of the vehicle body (2) surrounding the opening (6).

Description

[0001] The technology according to the invention relates to a vehicle with a charging interface of the type defined in more detail in the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] A charging interface for a vehicle, particularly an electric vehicle, is described, for example, in EP 2 646 277 B1. The charging interface is designed for charging a traction battery and comprises a charging socket located in a body opening of the vehicle. Additionally, a locking device covering the body opening is provided, formed by a cover that, when closed, fits flush with the body opening. The charging socket is located in a receiving device that extends into the vehicle interior. Furthermore, the charging socket is axially displaceable along the body opening towards the vehicle surface and into the interior of the receiving device. Opening the locking device causes the charging socket to move axially along the body opening from the vehicle interior towards the vehicle surface. This allows the insertion of a charging plug.Furthermore, closing the locking mechanism causes the charging socket with the attached charging plug to move into the interior of the housing into a protected charging position. The charging socket is then protected against external influences.

[0003] However, a problem arises because, when the locking mechanism is open, dirt and moisture can enter the charging recess, which is bordered by the charging socket and the vehicle body. This can permanently impair the charging interface's function. Furthermore, a vehicle equipped with this charging interface can only be charged using charging plugs specifically designed for this interface, which can be inserted into the recess when the locking mechanism is closed.

[0004] The object of the technology according to the invention is to reduce or eliminate at least one disadvantage of a previously known solution or to propose an alternative solution. In particular, the object of the technology disclosed herein is to provide a vehicle with a charging interface that is improved with respect to at least one of the following factors: manufacturing costs, manufacturing complexity, assembly effort, installation space utilization, operational reliability, functionality, sustainability, component reliability, and visual appearance.

[0005] The problem is solved with a vehicle having the features of claim 1. The dependent claims represent preferred embodiments.

[0006] A vehicle with a charging interface is therefore proposed, comprising at least one electrical coupling unit or charging socket and an operating and / or information panel. The charging interface, and thus also the coupling unit and the operating and / or information panel, are movably arranged within the vehicle body between an operating position and a non-operating position. In the operating position, the electrical coupling unit can be electrically connected to an electrical coupling element in the area of ​​an opening in the vehicle body. In the non-operating position, the coupling unit and the operating and / or information panel are offset inwards from an outer surface of the vehicle body and are thus positioned inside the vehicle body. In this non-operating position, the charging interface thus exposes the opening.

[0007] According to the invention, the electrical coupling unit and the operating and / or information panel are jointly movable between a non-operating position and the operating position. In the operating position, a front face of the operating and / or information panel facing the outer surface of the vehicle body lies within an area defined by the outer surface of the vehicle body surrounding the opening.

[0008] In other words, when the charging interface is in use, the front of the control and / or information panel is flush with the outer surface of the vehicle body. This means the control and / or information panel is positioned without any offset from the vehicle's outer surface or skin, such as a fender or similar. This prevents the formation of a so-called "charging recess" during charging, a common problem with other vehicles.

[0009] Due to the flush surface arrangement of the front of the operating and / or information panel with the outer surface of the vehicle body, the vehicle according to the invention has a desiredly unobtrusive or non-disruptive appearance in the charging interface's operating position, thereby improving the overall vehicle appearance. Furthermore, this prevents dirt and water from entering the interior of the vehicle body or a charging recess that would otherwise be required, and thus avoids the accumulation of dirt and water in the area of ​​the charging interface and inside the vehicle body.

[0010] In a structurally simple embodiment of the vehicle according to the invention, the control and / or information panel has a cover that forms the front of the control and / or information panel.

[0011] The cover may have a recess through which the electrical coupling element or charging socket and the electrical coupling unit can be easily connected. The electrical coupling element may be an electrical plug element.

[0012] In the operating position of the charging interface, the front of the electrical coupling unit can be flush with the front of the cover or offset from the front of the cover or the surface of the opening in the vehicle body.

[0013] In this context, an offset arrangement of the front of the electrical coupling unit or charging socket relative to the front of the cover is understood to mean an arrangement of the front of the electrical coupling unit in which the front of the coupling unit either projects forward relative to the front of the cover or the surface of the opening in the vehicle body or forms a recess relative to these.

[0014] A flush arrangement of the front of the electrical coupling unit and the front of the cover results in a high-quality appearance of the vehicle, even during charging.

[0015] The offset arrangement of the front of the electrical coupling unit relative to the front of the cover, for example, offers the possibility of using a side surface of the cover or a side surface of the electrical coupling unit as a guide surface for the electrical coupling element when inserting it into the coupling unit. The side surfaces are each at least approximately perpendicular to the front surfaces of the cover and the coupling unit and extend at least approximately in the axial direction of the opening of the vehicle body as a step surface between the front surfaces of the cover and the coupling unit.

[0016] If the cover, in the operating position of the charging interface, seals against an area of ​​the inside of the vehicle body facing the vehicle interior and surrounding the opening, the ingress of dirt and moisture into the interior of the vehicle body in the operating position of the charging interface is prevented in a structurally simple manner.

[0017] It can be designed so that the cover overlaps the opening of the vehicle body at its edges in the operating position, thus creating an overlap area between the cover and the vehicle body. A sealing element can be arranged in this overlap area between the vehicle body and the cover, preventing the ingress of dirt and water from the environment into the interior of the vehicle body in a structurally simple and cost-effective manner.

[0018] The electrical coupling unit or charging socket can, at least in the operating position of the charging interface, have a sealing contact with a portion of its front surface against a portion of its rear surface of the cover. In particular, if this occurs completely around the recess in the cover for the electrical coupling unit, the ingress of dirt and water into the interior of the vehicle body in the contact area between the electrical coupling unit and the cover in the operating position of the charging interface can be easily prevented.

[0019] It can also be designed so that the coupling unit overlaps the recess in the cover plate at its edges in the operating position, thus creating an overlap area between the inside of the cover plate and the front of the coupling unit. A sealing element can be arranged in this overlap area between the coupling unit and the cover plate, preventing the ingress of dirt and water from the environment into the interior of the vehicle body in a structurally simple and cost-effective manner.

[0020] The control and / or information panel and the coupling unit can be adjusted between the non-use and use positions by separate drives or by a single common drive. The vehicle design with separate drives for the coupling unit and the control and / or information panel requires less design effort and offers greater freedom in adjusting the control and / or information panel and the coupling unit compared to the solution with only one drive. The solution with only one drive is also more space-efficient and cost-effective to manufacture compared to a charging interface with two separate drives.

[0021] Depending on the specific application, the separate drives or the common drive can be configured to perform the adjustment of the operating and / or information panel and the adjustment of the coupling unit synchronously, i.e. simultaneously and dependently, or asynchronously, i.e. simultaneously or sequentially and independently of each other.

[0022] The control and / or information panel may include a display. This display can preferably show an operator, at least when the charging interface is in use, information about the state of charge of the vehicle's traction battery and / or other information concerning the vehicle's operating status. The display may form at least part of the panel or be recessed in the panel, with the top of the display being flush with or planar to the front of the panel.

[0023] The control and / or information panel may include a sensor, e.g., a touch sensor or an optical sensor. Using this sensor, an operator can request at least one adjustment of the charging interface from the operating position to the non-operating position.

[0024] In an advantageous design, the surface finish of the front of the control and / or information panel matches the surface finish of the surrounding exterior surface of the vehicle body. For example, the color, especially paint or foil, of the exterior surface of the body can be used for the front of the panel. In this case, when the charging interface is in use, the front of the panel becomes part of the vehicle's exterior or is barely or indistinguishable from the surrounding exterior surface of the body. This achieves a high-quality visual appearance even in use, which is particularly advantageous for more exclusive vehicle models.

[0025] Alternatively, it is also possible to finish the surface of the front of the panel in a contrasting paint finish to the paint finish of the vehicle body.

[0026] Furthermore, a charging flap can be provided that seals the opening in the vehicle body when the charging interface is not in use and opens it when the charging interface is in use. Such a charging flap, which can be designed to open outwards or, so as to appear virtually invisible during charging, can be retracted inwards under an adjacent body panel, allows the interior of the vehicle body to be sealed to the desired extent and shielded from external influences when the charging interface is not in use. The charging flap can be driven by the at least one actuator of the cover and the electrical coupling unit or by a separate actuator.

[0027] The charging interface can also include a device that generates a haptic signal, particularly in the area of ​​the control and / or information panel, the front of the cover, and / or at the charging socket. Such a haptic signal, e.g., a vibration, can occur when the charging flap or the charging interface is moved, or, for example, when there is proper electrical coupling between the electrical coupling unit and an electrical coupling element. The haptic signal can be generated, for example, by an unbalanced motor that sets the charging interface into vibration, at least in certain areas, which is perceptible to an operator.

[0028] The control and / or information panel can be equipped with at least one light source in the recessed area, illuminating the section of the coupling unit that is electrically contactable with the coupling element. This allows for a simple charging connection between the coupling unit or charging socket and the coupling element or charging plug of a charging station, even in darkness, thus charging the vehicle's traction battery.

[0029] At least one light source can be designed as a planar lighting mask that encloses a contour of the outer surface of the charging socket or the front of the coupling unit and highlights this contour through a difference in illumination between the lighting mask in the illuminated state and the outer surface of the charging socket.

[0030] Furthermore, a lighting mask designed as the front of the cover can close off the area surrounding the charging socket in an aesthetically pleasing way towards the operator, whereby the lighting mask can be used multifunctionally both for sealing and for transmitting information to the operator.

[0031] To optimally utilize the potential of the lighting mask, it is advantageous to connect it to a control unit. The lighting mask can then be designed to emit varying light intensity, or no light at all, and / or different colored light, at least in defined areas. The control unit then uses these lighting differences to induce the output of information or parameters from the lighting mask, at least within these defined areas. For example, defined areas within the lighting mask can be designed to illuminate more intensely, less intensely, in a different color, or not at all, at least for a limited time, compared to the rest of the mask, in order to represent letters, numbers, symbols, and / or at least a geometric shape.

[0032] In this way, the lighting mask can replace a display window and use the usually very limited installation space not only for lighting and user guidance, but also for displaying information or parameters by means of differently or non-illuminated defined areas on the lighting mask.

[0033] The entire lighting mask or the defined areas can also be designed to flash, for example to indicate an incorrect plug connection or to signal that a charging process is in progress or that a charging process is complete.

[0034] In addition to the aforementioned information about the status of the charging port or the activity of a charging process, the illumination mask can also display further information about the charging process, such as a charge level indicator, remaining charging time, or the vehicle's potential range, using numbers and letters. Geometric shapes like a bar, arc, or circle, either segmented or closed, can be used for this purpose around the charging socket. For example, as the charging process progresses, the illuminated area of ​​the respective geometric shape can expand. A triangle, commonly used as a warning symbol, can also be displayed within the illumination mask, to name just a few examples of useful geometric shapes that can be shown. Furthermore, information about the vehicle's status can also be displayed using numbers, letters, and symbols.This includes, for example, information relevant to a charging process such as whether the ignition is on, whether a lock is activated, and the like.

[0035] In a further embodiment of the vehicle according to the invention, the control unit can be connected to a light-sensitive sensor unit and cause the lighting mask to emit light depending on the light values ​​detected by the sensor unit. The luminosity of the lighting mask can, for example, be adjusted depending on the ambient light at a time of day or night, in order to ensure visibility in sunlight or to avoid glare in the dark.

[0036] If the receiving area is covered by the charging flap in the non-use position of the charging interface, the lighting of the illumination mask can be activated when the charging flap is opened and deactivated when it is closed by means of an ambient light-sensitive control system. Alternatively, information about the open or closed state of such a charging flap can also be output to the control unit of the illumination mask via a contact sensor or other suitable sensor.

[0037] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the illumination mask can be integrated into the aperture representing a plate body, which has an inner opening whose contour corresponds to the contour of the outer surface of the charging socket. The illumination mask can fill the entire area of ​​the aperture outside the outer surface or front of the charging socket, i.e., the surface of the charging socket visible to and facing an operator, or only a limited area around the charging socket.

[0038] In lighting technology, various flat or curved illuminators are known that are suitable for forming the lighting mask. These can be, for example, so-called Lambertian emitters, whose luminance or radiance is the same in all directions, or non-Lambertian emitters that are not completely diffuse. Depending on the application, a specialist can also choose a combination of different emitter types within the lighting mask and a composition of the lighting mask made up of several plates forming the aperture.

[0039] In a further embodiment of the vehicle according to the invention, at least the front of the panel can be designed to be light-conducting and preferably connected at one edge to at least one light source, in particular an LED, via at least one light guide. In further embodiments, plastic sheet bodies connected with light-conducting films can also be used. It is also possible to design the lighting mask with a plurality of LED light sources.

[0040] In addition to or as an alternative to the aforementioned embodiments of the vehicle according to the invention, it can also be provided that a so-called charging abort button is provided in the area of ​​the operating and preferably information panel, when the charging process of a traction battery of the vehicle is terminated by an operator actuation of the charging abort button.

[0041] The invention is not limited to the specified combination of features of the independent claims or the dependent claims. Furthermore, it is possible to combine individual features, even those that arise from the claims, the subsequent description of embodiments, or directly from the drawing. The reference of the claims to the drawing by means of reference numerals is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the claims.

[0042] The technology revealed here will now be explained in more detail using the figures in the drawing.

[0043] It shows: Fig. 1 A schematic side view of an electrically powered vehicle with a charging interface; Fig. 2 a highly simplified schematic representation of the vehicle's charging interface according to Fig. 1 in a frontal view and in isolation; and Fig. 3 A basic, highly simplified sectional view of the charging interface.

[0044] Referring to Fig. Figure 1 shows a vehicle 1 with a vehicle body 2 and a drive unit 3, which may include at least one electric machine or a combination of at least one internal combustion engine and at least one electric machine. For the supply of electrical energy, the drive unit 3 is connected to rechargeable accumulators 4, the structural unit of which is also referred to as a vehicle battery or traction battery, and which are operatively connected to a charging interface 5 located in the area of ​​an opening 6 in the vehicle body 2.

[0045] As shown in the detailed illustration of charging interface 5 in the top view of the Fig. 2 and the cross-sectional representation in Fig. As can be seen in Figure 3, in which the charging interface 5 is in its operating position, the charging interface 5 is installed in a receiving compartment 8 of the vehicle body 2. The receiving compartment 8 extends from an outer surface 9 of the vehicle body 2 towards the vehicle interior and forms a kind of charging recess. An electrical coupling unit 10 or a charging socket of the charging interface 5 is located in the receiving compartment 8. This unit may vary in design depending on the region and, if applicable, the vehicle manufacturer, and has electrical contacts 11, 12 for coupling with an external electrical charging element or charging plug, which is not shown in detail here. The charging plug is typically connectable to an external electrical power source, e.g., in the form of a charging station, to supply energy to the batteries 4 or to draw energy from them.

[0046] In the illustrated embodiment, the charging socket 10 has a so-called CSS configuration with DC contacts 11 and AC contacts 12, which are arranged on an outer surface 13 of the charging socket 10 facing the operator and extending towards the interior of the vehicle. The charging socket 10 forms an independent structure, which is recessed in the receiving space 8, i.e., extending inwards towards the vehicle, such that only the outer surface 13 facing outwards with its contour 14 is visible to an operator in the receiving space 8. An operating and information panel 15 is provided around the contour 14 of the charging socket 10, which is also part of the charging interface 5.

[0047] Depending on the specific application, the operating and information panel can be designed either simply as an operating panel, through which an operator can enter control commands for the charging interface, or simply as an information panel, in which information is output to an operator in a haptic, visual and / or acoustic manner.

[0048] The charging interface 5 is movable within the vehicle body 2 between an operating position and a non-operating position. In the operating position, the electrical coupling unit or the charging socket 10 can be ergonomically connected to a charging plug. Furthermore, in the non-operating position, the charging socket 10 and the operating and information panel 15 are offset inwards from the outer surface 9 or outer surface of the vehicle body 2.

[0049] It is provided that the electrical coupling unit 10 and the operating and information panel 15 are jointly movable between the non-use position and the use position, and that in the use position a front face 16 of the operating and information panel 15 facing the outer surface 9 of the vehicle body 2 lies in an area 30 which is defined by the outer surface 9 of the vehicle body 2 surrounding the opening 6.

[0050] The control and information panel 15 has a cover 17, which forms the front 16 of the control and information panel 15. The cover 17 includes a recess 18 through which the electrical coupling element (not shown) can be brought into operative contact with the charging socket 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer surface or front 13 of the charging socket 10 is flush with the front 16 of the cover 17 in the operating or charging position. Additionally, in the operating position of the charging interface 5, the cover 17 abuts a sealing area 20 against an area of ​​the interior 21 of the vehicle body 2 facing the vehicle interior, which surrounds the opening 6.

[0051] At least in the operating position of the charging interface 5, the charging socket 10 of the charging interface 5 is in a sealing position with a region of the front 13 of the charging socket 10 against a stepped region of a rear 23 of the cover 17.

[0052] The operating and information panel 15 and the charging socket 10 can be adjusted between the non-use position and the use position of the charging interface 5, depending on the specific application, either by means of separate drives or by means of a common drive. The separate drives or the common drive are configured to perform the adjustment of the operating and information panel 15 and the adjustment of the coupling unit or the charging socket 10 synchronously or asynchronously.

[0053] The operating and information panel 15 has a display 24 on which, at least in the operating position of the charging interface 5, information about the state of charge of the traction battery 4 of the vehicle 1 is displayed to an operator.

[0054] In addition, the operating and information panel 15 includes a sensor 25 by means of which at least one adjustment of the charging interface 5 from the operating position to the non-operating position can be requested by an operator.

[0055] The surface design of the front 16 of the cover 17 of the control and information panel corresponds to a surface design of the outside or outer surface 9 of the vehicle body 2. In the embodiment of the vehicle 1 considered in more detail here, the cover 17 has the same paint finish on its front 16 as the outer surface 9 of the vehicle body 2.

[0056] The opening 6 of the vehicle body 2, in the area of ​​which the receiving compartment 8 is located, can be covered flush with the surrounding area of ​​the vehicle body 2 by a cover 26, which is also referred to as a loading flap. The loading flap 26 can be moved into a lateral area below the body skin and is thus located in Fig. 2 not visible. When the charging flap 26 is closed, the opening 6 of the charging flap 26 is sealed against the ingress of dirt and moisture from the environment of the vehicle body 2.

[0057] In order to display the charge status of the traction battery 4 in the area of ​​aperture 17 or outer surface 16 without a separate display window, a further defined area 27 can be designed in the form of a bar with several bar segments. It is possible for illuminated bar segments 28 to indicate charging progress, and bar segments 29 that are not illuminated to symbolize an electrical charge still to be supplied.

[0058] A light source 31 of the control and information panel 15, forming a kind of lighting mask, is provided around the contour 14 of the charging socket 10. This light source completely surrounds the charging socket 10 as a diffuse illumination, such that it frames the contour 14 of the outer surface 13 of the charging socket 10 and highlights this contour 14 as a negative image through a difference in illumination between the lighting mask 31 when illuminated and the outer surface 13 of the charging socket 10. This allows an operator to easily insert a charging plug into the charging socket 10 and connect it, even in complete darkness.

[0059] In the embodiment shown, the illumination mask 31 is integrated into the aperture 17, which can, for example, be designed as a known light-guiding plastic plate, which - in the Fig. 2 is only symbolically indicated - connected to an LED 33 via light guide 34.

[0060] Lighting mask 31 can be symbolically represented in the Fig. The control unit 35 shown in the diagram is connected to the two indicated control units and, in addition to the functions of illumination and the outlining 14 of the charging socket 10, can also include other functions, such as the output of information or parameters, e.g., regarding the status of the plug connection, the activity or progress of a charging process, or vehicle status information, through differences in illumination between defined areas 36 to 39 and the remaining surface of the illumination mask 11. In this case, the differences in illumination are achieved through time-limited variations in illumination intensity; however, different illumination colors or unilluminated areas adjacent to illuminated areas can also be used. Any letters, numbers, geometric shapes, and symbols can be displayed.

[0061] The illustrated embodiment shows an example of a defined area with varying illumination as a remaining charging time indicator 36, using letters, numbers, and syntax symbols. Another defined area with varying illuminance represents a range indicator 37, a further defined area in the geometric shape of a triangle forms a warning light 38, and another defined area with a plug-like symbol indicates the connection status 39 with regard to a correct connection of the electrical contacts 11, 12.

[0062] Sensor 25 can also be visually highlighted as a defined area by means of different lighting.

[0063] In the illustrated embodiment, the control unit 35 is connected to a light-sensitive sensor unit, so that the illumination mask 31 can be controlled with respect to the light extraction of its areas depending on the detected light values ​​of the sensor unit, wherein the areas of the illumination mask 31 can have a luminous intensity depending on the ambient light at a time of day or night that makes them reliably visible in sunlight and prevents a glare effect in darkness.

[0064] Furthermore, if the sensor unit does not detect any ambient light, the control unit 35 can recognize that the charging flap 26 is closed and switch off the lighting mask 31.

[0065] In general, the vehicle 1 features an innovative charging interface 5 that combines several functions in a visually appealing way in the smallest possible installation space.

[0066] The charging interface 5, which is slidably or adjustable within the vehicle body 2, is positioned flush with the outer surface 9 of the vehicle body 2 in its operating position. This prevents a charging recess from being visible from the outside during the charging process of the traction battery 4, as this is covered by the cover 17 and the charging socket 10. In other words, in the embodiment of the vehicle 1 described above, a section of the body formed by the cover 17 is pushed against the outer surface of the vehicle body 2 when the charging interface 5 is moved from its non-operating position to its operating position. This results in a closed outer body surface in the operating position of the charging interface 5, formed by the cover 17 and the charging socket 10, which are flush with the outer surface 9. In the non-operating position of the charging interface 5, this closed outer surface is created by the charging flap 26. REFERENCE MARK LIST 1 vehicle 2 Vehicle body 3 Drive unit 4 accumulators 5 Charging interface 6 Opening 8 Recording room 9 Exterior surface of the vehicle body 10 electrical coupling unit, charging socket 11 electrical contact DC 12 electrical contacts AC 13 Outer surface or front of the charging socket 14 Outline of the front of the charging port 15 Operating and / or information panels 16 Front of the control and / or information panel 17 aperture 18 recess 20 Aperture area 21 Inside of the vehicle body 23 Back of the aperture 24" Display 25 Sensor 26 Charging port 27 defined area 28 bar area, illuminated 29 bar area, not illuminated 30 area 31 light sources, lighting mask 33 LED 34 fiber optic cables 35 Control unit 36 defined area, remaining charging time indication 37 defined area, range specification 38 defined area, geometric shape, warning light 39 defined area, symbol, connection status indicator

Claims

A vehicle (1) with a charging interface (5) comprising at least one electrical coupling unit (10) and an operating and / or information panel (15), and arranged in a vehicle body (2) to be movable between an operating position in which the electrical coupling unit (10) can be brought into operative connection with an electrical coupling element in the area of ​​an opening (6) in the vehicle body (2), and a non-operating position in which the coupling unit (10) and the operating and / or information panel (15) are arranged offset inwards relative to an outer surface (9) of the vehicle body (2), characterized in that the electrical coupling unit (10) and the operating and / or information panel (15) are movable together between the non-operating position and the operating position.wherein in the operating position a front side (16) of the control and / or information panel (15) facing the outer surface of the vehicle body (2) lies in an area (30) which is defined by the outer surface (9) of the vehicle body (2) surrounding the opening (6). Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the control and / or information panel (15) has a cover (17) which forms the front (16) of the control and / or information panel. Vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the aperture (17) has a recess (18) through which the electrical coupling element can be brought into operative contact with the electrical coupling unit (10). Vehicle according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that a front side (13) of the electrical coupling unit (10) is flush with the front side (16) of the cover (17) in the operating position of the charging interface (5) or is arranged offset from the front side (16). Vehicle according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the cover (17) in the operating position of the charging interface (5) abuts a sealing area on an inner surface (21) of the vehicle body (2) facing the interior of the vehicle, which surrounds the opening (6). Vehicle according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the electrical coupling unit (10) at least in the operating position of the charging interface (5) is in a sealing position with a region of the front (16) against a region of a rear (23) of the cover (17). Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the operating and / or information panel (15) and the coupling unit (10) are adjusted between the non-use position and the use position of the charging interface (5) by separate drives or via a common drive. Vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that the separate drives or the common drive are configured to perform the adjustment of the control and / or information panel (15) and the adjustment of the coupling unit (10) synchronously or asynchronously. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the operating and / or information panel (15) has a display (24) on which information about the state of charge of a traction battery of the vehicle (1) is displayed to an operator at least in the operating position of the charging interface (5). Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the operating and / or information panel (15) comprises a sensor (25) by means of which at least one adjustment of the charging interface (5) from the operating position to the non-operating position can be requested by an operator. Vehicle according to one of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that a surface design of the front (16) of the cover (17) of the operating and / or information panel (15) corresponds to a surface design of the outer surface (9) of the vehicle body (2). Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the charging interface (5) comprises a device that generates a haptic signal, in particular in the area of ​​the operating and / or information panel (15) and / or the electrical coupling unit (10), especially when the charging flap (26) is adjusted or the charging interface (5) is adjusted, or when there is proper electrical coupling between the electrical coupling unit (10) and an electrical coupling element. Vehicle according to claims 1 to 12, characterized in that a charging flap (26) is provided which seals the opening (6) of the vehicle body (2) in the non-use position of the charging interface and releases the opening (6) in the use position of the charging interface (5). Vehicle according to one of claims 3 to 13, characterized in that the operating and / or information panel (15) in the area of ​​the recess (18) is provided with at least one light source (31) by which the area of ​​the coupling unit (10) can be illuminated, which can be electrically contacted with a coupling element.

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