Autonomous charging system for electric vehicles

Abstract

This invention provides an autonomous charging system (100) for an electric vehicle (300). The charging system (100) comprises a movable platform (116), a robotic arm (112), a sensor system, a charging cable (132) with a charging connector (114), and a controller (119). The platform (116) is configured to move relative to its surroundings, while the robotic arm (112) is supported on the platform (116) for moving therewith. The charging connector (114) is carried by the robotic arm (112) for connection with the charging inlet of the electric vehicle (300). The sensor system is configured to identify and locate a charging inlet of the electric vehicle (300), such that the controller (119) can operate the platform actuator and the robotic arm (112) to connect the charging connector (114) to the charging inlet of the electric vehicle (300), and to subsequently charge the electric vehicle (300). To make this possible, the controller (119) is operatively coupled to the platform actuator, the sensor system, and the robotic arm (112).

Description

[0001] AUTONOMOUS CHARGING SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES

[0002] Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates to an autonomous charging system for battery electric vehicle s ( BEV) , more specifically heavy duty electric vehicles like large trucks , construction equipment , and mining vehicles . The autonomous charging system uses a robotic arm for connecting a charging connector to the charging inlet of the electric vehicle . This invention further relates to methods for autonomously charging such electric vehicle s . Background of the invention

[0004] With the electrification trend for vehicle s in recent years , and an increas ing interest in the development of autonomous driving technology, various companies and research groups start to show an interest in autonomous charging solutions too . For example , mobile charging robots are developed for charging vehicles in car parks or at roadside charging stations . As with all new technologies , different technical concept s are considered and various technical and commercial challenges need to be overcome to make autonomous charging a succes s .

[0005] While developing practical autonomous charging solution for consumer BEVs may already be challenging , the technical challenges for heavy duty electric vehicle s like large trucks , construction equipment , and mining vehicles are even bigger . High charging currents , uneven and inclined ground surfaces , dusty environments , and employment in remote , not yet fully developed , locations make the autonomous charging of many heavy duty vehicle s a challenging tas k .

[0006] It is an aim of the current invention to overcome at least some of the challenges to be expected for the autonomous charging of off-road, heavy duty battery electric vehicles .

[0007] Summary of the Invention

[0008] According to an aspect of the invention , an autonomous charging system for an electric vehicle i s provided . The charging system comprises a platform, a platform actuator , a robotic arm, a sensor system, a charging cable with a charging connector , and a controller . The platform actuator i s conf igured to move the platform relative to its surroundings , while the robotic arm is supported on the platform for moving therewith . The charging connector i s carried by the robotic arm for connection with the charging inlet of the electric vehicle . The sensor system is configured to identify and locate a charging inlet of the electric vehicle , such that the controller can operate the platform actuator and the robotic arm to connect the charging connector to the charging inlet of the electric vehicle , and to subsequently charge the electric vehicle . To make this possible , the controller is operatively coupled to the platform actuator , the sensor system, and the robotic arm .

[0009] The use of a movable platform carrying the robotic arm and the charging cable , for example , allows the robotic arm to be moved between various charging locations and one or more safe storage locations . The ability to move to various charging locations allows for the charging of different types of vehicles with different dimens ions and makes it pos sible to change the charging location when , for example , construction or mining operations ma ke it impossible to continue us ing a previous charging location . When the charging system is not in use , the platform can move the robotic arm away from the charging location, towards a safe storage location where it i s les s likely to be damaged by nearby traf fic . The storage location may further be designed to shelter the robotic arm, and other electrical equipment that may be carried by the platform from, for example , harmful weather influence , dusty environments , or damage caused by construction or mining activity . Because the storage location does not need to be acce s sed by the BEVs that need to be charged , the storage location can be designed for optimal protection . The charging location , or storage locations , can be des igned for optimal acces sibility . Different storage locations may be provided for temporary storage in between charging ses s ions , and more permanent storage for , for example , overnight parking .

[0010] In embodiments of the autonomous charging system according to the invention , the platform is movably mounted to at least one guide rail , and the platform actuator i s configured to move the platform along the guide rail . Guide rails provide for a cost ef ficient , robust , and reliable structure for moving around large yet delicate electrical equipment like robotic arms . When using guide rails , the platform actuator only needs to move the platform into one of two available directions (back or forth ) without needing elaborate steering capabilities . Moreover , the use of guide rail s is especially advantageous in construction and mining environments where uneven and inclined surfaces may make it even more difficult to autonomously and accurately move the platform around with no mechanical guidance .

[0011] Preferably, the autonomous charging system further comprises a thermal management system, operatively coupled to the controller and configured to control a temperature of the charging cable , the charging connector , and / or other part s of the autonomous charging system while charging the vehicle . Heavy duty BEVs typically have large battery packs that need to be charged at high power to avoid the vehicle being out-of-service for too long . The high currents running through the charging system may produce a lot of heat . Consequently, BEV chargers configured for high power charging may be equipped with some form of thermal management system to protect the charging equipment and the BEV being charged from overheating . The thermal management system may, for example , compri se a liquid cooled charging cable .

[0012] When a thermal management system i s used , preferably at least a portion of it is supported on the platform for moving therewith . Making the thermal management system move with the platform, and thus al so with the robotic arm, avoids the need of having to accommodate for large variations in distance between the thermal management system and the robotic arm .

[0013] In preferred embodiment s , the autonomous charging system further compri ses a container , the platform being movable between a storage configuration wherein the movable platform and the robotic arm are fully contained inside the container and a deployment configuration wherein the platform and the robotic arm are at least partly located outside the container . The use of such a container provides for optimal protection of the robotic arm and other e s sential equipment when the charging system is not in use . In addition thereto , the use of a container makes it easier to move the system around at it s location of deployment or between dif ferent locations depending on where the autonomous charging system is most needed . This may be particularly useful when the charging system is used at construction sites or mining site s , where the optimal location for the autonomous charging system may change over time . The autonomous charging system may comprise a power unit for providing electrical power for charging the electric vehicle , the power unit being outside and separate f rom the container and connectable to the charging cable . The power unit may compri se bul ky and heavy power electronics for converting the electric power from the main grid to a power level that is suitable for charging BEVs . By using a separate power unit for housing the equipment that provides or generates the actual charging power , the container of the autonomous charging system can be moved around without having to relocate the power unit .

[0014] The charging cable of the autonomous charging system may be directly connected to the power unit , or a separate cable may connect the power unit to the container , where the charging cable is connected to this separate cable via a connector . This brings the advantage that the charging cable that is carried by the robotic arm does not need to be adapted to variations in distance between the power unit and the container .

[0015] The autonomous charging system may further comprise a power cable for providing electric power for operating the robotic arm, the power cable being connectable to the power unit , separately from the charging cable . The robotic arm and other electrical equipment of the autonomous charging system may require different , typically lower , power level s for their operation than the power levels that are used for charging the BEVs . The container may thus comprise one connector for connecting the charging cable to the power unit and one connector for connecting the power cable to the power unit .

[0016] When the autonomous charging system uses a guide rail , guide rail may, for example , be mounted to a sidewall or floor of the container . The guide rail may comprise an extension to allow the platform to move outside of the container when the charging system is in use . The extens ion may be unmounted , withdrawn, or folded in when the platform is temporarily stored inside the container .

[0017] The robotic arm may use electric and / or hydraulic actuators for positioning the charging connector relative to the charging inlet of the electric vehicle . For example , hydraulic actuators may be used for the initial positioning of the charging connector in the vicinity of the charging inlet of the vehicle , while electric actuators control the finer motion of the charging connector and e stabli sh the connection between the charging connector and the charging inlet .

[0018] According to a further aspect of the invention , a method is provided for charging an electric vehicle . The method comprise s the steps of :

[0019] - the electric vehicle approaching an autonomous charging system as de scribed above ;

[0020] - operating the platform actuator to move the platform to a location in a vicinity of the charging inlet of the electric vehicle ;

[0021] - identifying and locating the charging inlet of the electric vehicle ;

[0022] - operating the robotic arm to connect the charging connector to the charging inlet of the electric vehicle ; and

[0023] - charging the electric vehicle .

[0024] In a special embodiment of the method according to the invention , the method may further comprises the steps of :

[0025] - the electric vehicle moving from a first location to a second location during the charging of the electric vehicle ; and - operating the platform actuator and the robotic arm, such that the charging connector stays connected to the charging inlet of the electric vehicle while the electric vehicle move s to the second location .

[0026] This allows the vehicle to slowly move forward while being charged . In the meantime , the next vehicle in the queue can move to the first location , such that it i s ready for being charged as soon as the autonomous charging system has completed, or otherwise ended, the charging of the previous vehicle . As a result , the autonomous charging system is able to charge more vehicles in a shorter time span .

[0027] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0028] Figure 1 schematically illustrates an autonomous charging system according to an embodiment of the invention ;

[0029] Figure 2 shows a movable platform with a robotic arm for use in an autonomous charging system;

[0030] Figure 3 schematically shows a first embodiment of an autonomous charging system according to the invention ;

[0031] Figure 4 schematically shows a second embodiment of an autonomous charging system according to the invention ;

[0032] Figures 5a and 5b show the autonomous charging system of Figure 4 in , respectively, a deployed and a storage configuration ;

[0033] Figure 6 schematically shows an advanced charging method making use of an autonomous charging system according to the invention .

[0034] These drawings depict one or more implementations in accordance with the present teachings , by way of example only, not by way of limitation . In the figure s , like reference numerals refer to the same or s imilar element s . Detailed Description of the Drawings

[0035] Figure 1 schematically illustrates an autonomous charging system 100 according to an embodiment of the invention . The system 100 comprises two separate containers 110 , 120 . A first container 110 comprises a robotic arm 112 that is installed on a movable platform 116 . A charging connector 114 is carried and positioned by the robotic arm 112 . The robotic arm 112 is configured to position the charging connector 114 close to the charging inlet of a battery electric vehicle 300 and then connect the charging connector 114 to the charging inlet for enabling the charging .

[0036] While the system 100 is specifically developed to charge heavy duty vehicles , such as the large dump truck 300 shown in this drawing that may be used in mining or construction activities , it can be used for and adapted to charging smaller vehicles . Optionally, the charging system 100 i s des igned to charge a variety of vehicle types , pos sibly using various different charging powers and current s depending on the vehicle type .

[0037] The second container 120 may comprise the power electronics for converting high voltage electric power coming from the power grid 210 , or from a power buffering station 220 connected to the power grid 210 , to charging powers suitable for charging a BEV. The second container or power unit 120 may compri se one or more charging points 125 for enabling traditional non-autonomous charging of BEVs . A power cable 127 delivers the converted electric power to the first container 110 , where it is used by the autonomous charging system 100 for charging the vehicle 300 . The power cable 127 may either directly lead to the charging connector 114 or it may be plugged into a connector 137 that connects the power cable 127 coming from the power unit 120 to a charging cable 132 leading to the charging connector 114 .

[0038] It is to be noted that , while the autonomous charging system 100 shown in Figure 1 use s two containers 110 , 120 for housing the dif ferent parts of the system 100 , the use of such containers 110 , 120 is not es sential for enabling the autonomous charging . In the current example , the movable platform 116 and the robotic arm 112 may be fully contained inside the container 110 when the system 100 is not in use . When connected to and charging electric vehicles 300 or when ready to connect to a vehicle 300 , the platform 116 and the robotic arm 112 may at least partly be located outside the container 110 . The use of thi s container 110 provides for optimal protection of the robotic arm 112 and other es sential equipment when the charging system 100 is not in use . In addition thereto , the container 110 makes it easier to move the system 100 around at its location of deployment or between different locations depending on where the autonomous charging system 100 i s most needed . This may be particularly useful when the charging system 100 is used at construction sites or mining sites , where the optimal location for the autonomous charging system 100 may change over time .

[0039] With a separate container 120 for the power electronics , there is no need to move the equipment provided therein around when relocating the f irst container 110 . It may be needed though to replace the power cable 127 by a power cable 127 of a dif ferent length to accommodate for a change in distance between the two containers 110 , 120 . In other embodiments , the power electronics and the movable platform 116 with the robotic arm 112 may be in the same container , or no containers may be used at all . Figure 2 shows a movable platform 116 with a robotic arm 112 for use in an autonomous charging system 100. The movable platform may, for example, be installed on one or more guide rails (see Figures 3 and 4) or it may be supported by a plurality of wheels, some or all of which may be steerable.

[0040] The use of a movable platform 116 allows the robotic arm 112 to be moved between various charging locations and one or more safe storage locations. The ability to move to various charging locations allows for the charging of different types of vehicles 300 with different dimensions and makes it possible to change the charging location when, for example, construction or mining operations make it impossible to continue using a previous charging location. When the charging system is not in use, the platform can move the robotic arm 112 away from the charging location, towards a safe storage location where it is less likely to be damaged by nearby traffic. The storage location may further be designed to shelter the robotic arm 112 and other electrical equipment that may be carried by the platform from, for example, harmful weather influence, dusty environments, or damage caused by construction or mining activity. Because the storage location does not need to be accessed by the BEVs 300 that need to be charged, the storage location can be designed for optimal protection. The charging location, or storage locations, can be designed for optimal accessibility. Different storage locations may be provided for temporary storage in between charging sessions, and more permanent storage for, for example, overnight parking.

[0041] Optionally, the platform 116 comprises one or more outriggers 118 that can be deployed for providing additional support and stability when the platform 116 has reached its intended location. The outriggers 118 may further be used for levelling the platform 116 when used on uneven or inclined terrain . Tilt sensors or accelerometers may be used for monitoring the orientation of the platform . An electronic controller or computer system 119 , preferably positioned on the platform 116 , may be coupled to the tilt sensor and actuators for controlling the deployment of the outriggers 118 and ensuring the platform 116 is stable when the charging system 100 is used .

[0042] The robotic arm 112 is carried by the platform 116 . In this embodiment , hydraulic actuators 115 are used to move the robotic arm 112 . The robotic arm 112 may be movable by a combination of rotation , pivoting, extension , and retraction of various parts of the robotic arm 112 . The computer system 119 may control a system of hydraulic pumps 117 and valves to , also positioned on the platform 116 , to move around a connection enclosure 113 in three dimensions . The connection enclosure comprise s the charging connector 114 that is positioned in close proximity to the charging inlet of the vehicle 300 in order to allow it to be connected for charging . The final alignment and actual establi shment of the connection may be achieved by further actuators comprised in the connection enclosure 113 . The actuators in the connection enclosure 113 may, for example , be electric , pneumatic, or hydraulic actuators . Preferably, the connection enclosure 113 i s built such that it ef fectively protect s the charging connector 114 against dust and bad weather conditions .

[0043] - a sensor system ( not shown ) is provided for identifying and locating the charging inlet of the electric vehicle 300 . The sensor system may, for example , comprise video camera s , LIDAR sensors or radar sensors , controlled by suitable software and hardware to process the sensor signals , locate the charging inlet , and move the robotic arm 112 and / or its connector enclosure 113 to better pos ition the charging connector 114 for connection with the charging inlet of the vehicle 300 . The control algorithm for identifying and locating the charging inlet may involve machine learning algorithms . Direct communication between the computer system 119 controlling the autonomous charging system and an electronic controller of the vehicle 300 may a s sist in the locating of the charging inlet . For example , the vehicle controller may inform the autonomous charging system 100 about the position of the charging inlet relative to the vehicle 300 itself . Of course , this position may be different for different types of vehicles 300 .

[0044] Preferably, the autonomous charging system 100 further comprises a thermal management system 111 , operatively coupled to the controller 119 and configured to control a temperature of the charging cable 127 , 132 , the charging connector 114 , and / or other part s of the autonomous charging system 100 while charging the vehicle 300 . Heavy duty BEVs 300 typically have large battery packs that need to be charged at high power to avoid the vehicle 300 being out-of-service for too long . The high current s running through the charging system 100 may produce a lot of heat . Consequently, BEV chargers configured for high power charging may be equipped with some form of thermal management system to protect the charging equipment and the BEV 300 being charged from overheating . The thermal management system 111 may, for example , compri se a liquid cooled charging cable .

[0045] When a thermal management system 111 is used, preferably at least a portion of it is supported on the platform 116 for moving therewith . Making the thermal management system 111 move with the platform 116 , and thus also with the robotic arm 112 , avoids the need of having to accommodate for large variations in di stance between the thermal management system 111 and the robotic arm 112 .

[0046] Figures 3 and 4 schematically show , respectively, a first embodiment and a second embodiment of autonomous charging systems 100 according to the invention . The platform 116 and robotic arm 112 of this charging system 100 may be identical or similar to those shown in Figure 2 . Both figures further show a container 110 with therein a large portion of the platform 116 and the equipment installed thereon , such as a thermal management system 111 , a computer system or electronic controller 119 , and hydraulic pumps 117 for powering the hydraulic actuators 115 of the robotic arm 112 . The platform 116 may carry further equipment that is used for the operation or maintenance and servicing of the autonomous charging system 100 .

[0047] In both the embodiments of Figures 3 and 4 the platform 116 is movably mounted to at lea st one guide rail , and the platform actuator is configured to move the platform along the guide rail 136 . The platform 116 may comprise wheels 139 for rolling over and along the guide rail 136 . An electric motor , hydraulic arm, or other type of actuator ( not shown ) may be used for moving the platform 116 relative to the guide rail 136 . Guide rail s 136 provide for a cost efficient , robust , and reliable structure for moving around large yet delicate electrical equipment like robotic arms 112 . When using guide rails 136 , the platform actuator only needs to move the platform into one of two available direction (back or forth ) without needing elaborate steering capabilities . Moreover , the use of guide rail s 136 i s especially advantageous in construction and mining environment s where uneven and inclined surfaces may make it even more difficult to autonomous ly and accurately move the platform 116 around with no mechanical guidance .

[0048] In the embodiment of Figure 3 , the guide rail 136 is mounted to a sidewall of the container 110 . In the embodiment of Figure 4 , the guide rail 136 is mounted to or otherwi se provided on the floor of the container 110 . The guide rail 136 may comprise an extens ion to allow the platform 116 to move outside of the container 110 when the charging system 100 i s in use . The extens ion may be unmounted, withdrawn , or folded in when the platform 116 is temporarily stored inside the container 110 .

[0049] The charging cable 132 is connected to a f irst container connector 137 that allows the charging cable 132 to be electronically connected to the power cable 127 f rom the power unit 120 . A flexible cable track 133 is provided for housing at least a portion of the charging cable 132 and for accommodating variations in distance between the robotic arm 112 and the first container connector 137 when moving the platform 116 .

[0050] A second container connector 135 may be provided for connecting to a separate power cable for allowing the power unit 110 to not j ust provide the power for charging the vehicle 300 , but also the power for operating the various functional parts 111 , 119 , 117 , 112 of the autonomous charging system 100 itself . The robotic arm 112 and other electrical equipment of the autonomous charging system 100 typically require s lower power level s for their operation than the power levels that are used for charging the BEVs 300 . Using a separate power cable for powering the functional units of the charging system 100 and for charging the BEVs 300 ensure s that no additional power electronics need to be provided in the first container 110 . Figures 5a and 5b show the autonomous charging system 100 of Figure 4 in, respectively, a deployed and a storage configuration. The deployed configuration of Figure 5a corresponds to the configuration also shown in Figure 4. Here, the platform 116 is railed out of the container 110 to allow the robotic arm 112 to move freely and charge electric vehicles 300 that come within range of the robotic arm 112.

[0051] When not in use, the platform 116 and the robotic arm 112 on it are moved inside the container 110 that may be closed to protect the equipment against weather conditions, damage, or vandalism. In this stored configuration (Figure 5b) , the container 110 can easily be moved from its current location to a new location where there may be more need for the autonomous charging of vehicles 300.

[0052] In a simple charging cycle, the vehicle 300 being charged rides up to the charging system 100, the charging method at least comprises the following steps :

[0053] 1) The electric vehicle 300 approaching an autonomous charging system 100 as described above.

[0054] 2) An optional step of operating the platform actuator to move the platform 116 to a location in a vicinity of the charging inlet of the electric vehicle 300. If the platform 116 is already in a suitable location, this step can (and will) be dispensed with.

[0055] 3) Identifying and locating the charging inlet of the electric vehicle 300 using a sensor system as described above.

[0056] 4) Operating the robotic arm 112 to connect the charging connector 114 to the charging inlet of the electric vehicle 300.

[0057] 5) And then, finally, charging the electric vehicle

[0058] 300. When the charging is completed, the charging connector 114 i s disconnected, the vehicle 300 may drive away and a new vehicle 300 may arrive .

[0059] It is to be noted that step 2 ) of moving the platform 116 may have already been performed before the vehicle 300 approache s the charging system 100 ( step 1 ) . In most ca ses , it is expected that the platform 116 is located at a semi-permanent location and only the robotic arm 112 is moved relative to the vehicle 300 . However , in some embodiment s , the proces s of positioning the charging connector 114 relative to the charging inlet involve s controlled movement of the platform 116 relative to the container 110 or the vehicle 300 too .

[0060] Figure 6 schematically shows a more advanced charging method making use of an autonomous charging system 100 according to the invention . Of the complete autonomous charging system 100 , only the robotic arm 112 and its connector enclosure 113 are shown in this drawing . Dotted circles schematically show the available reach for the connector enclosure 113 and the charging connector 114 it carries . The connector enclosure 113 i s shown in six different positions it may be at during a charging cycle .

[0061] Instead of the vehicle 300 ta king a position close to the robotic arm 112 and the autonomic charging system 100 j ust connecting the charging connector 114 and charging the vehicle 300 , the vehicle 300 continues to move while being charged . This allows multiple vehicles 300 to line up behind each other and provide for a more time ef ficient charging proces s , enabling more vehicles 300 to be charged in the same amount of time .

[0062] A first vehicle 300 shows up at a start location 410 , where the autonomous charging system 100 connects the charging connector 114 and starts charging the battery of the vehicle 300 . While the vehicle 300 is being charged , it slowly moves forward . The platform actuator and the robotic arm 112 are operated such that the charging connector 114 stays connected to the charging inlet of the electric vehicle 300 while the electric vehicle 300 moves to the finish location 420 . In the meantime , the next vehicle in the queue can move to the start location 410 , such that it is ready for being charged a s soon as the first vehicle 300 reaches a finish location 420 and the autonomous charging system 100 has completed the charging of the battery . Optionally, the drive speed of the vehicle 300 during the charging proces s is controlled to ensure that it reaches the f inish location 420 at the moment a desired charging level of the battery is reached . Alternatively, the vehicle 300 only moves during a f irst portion of the charging proces s and halts at the finish location 420 , where it stays until the de sired charging level i s reached .

[0063] While many pos sible variations of the autonomous charging system have been de scribed above , it will be clear to the s killed person that additional variations and modif ications can be made without departing f rom the scope of the invention as claimed in the appended claims .

Claims

C L A I M S1. An autonomous charging system (100) for an electric vehicle (300) comprising:- a platform (116) ;- a platform actuator, configured to move the platform (116) relative to its surroundings;- a robotic arm (112) , supported on the platform (116) for moving therewith;- a sensor system, configured to identify and locate a charging inlet of the electric vehicle (300) ;- a charging cable (132) with a charging connector (114) for connection with the charging inlet of the electric vehicle (300) , the charging connector (114) being carried by the robotic arm (112) ;- a controller (119) , operatively coupled to the platform actuator, the sensor system, and the robotic arm (112) , and configured for operating the platform actuator and the robotic arm (112) , connecting the charging connector (114) to the charging inlet of the electric vehicle (300) , and charging the electric vehicle (300) .

2. An autonomous charging system (100) as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the platform (116) is movably mounted to at least one guide rail (136) , and wherein the platform actuator is configured to move the platform (116) along the guide rail (136) .

3. An autonomous charging system (100) as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, further comprising a thermal management system (111) , operatively coupled to the controller (119) and configured to control a temperature of the charging connector (114) while charging the electric vehicle (300) .

4. An autonomous charging system (100) as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the thermal management system (111) is supported on the platform (116) for moving therewith.

5. An autonomous charging system (100) as claimed in any preceding Claim, further comprising a container (110) , the platform (116) being movable between a storage configuration wherein the platform (116) and the robotic arm (112) are fully contained inside the container (110) and a deployment configuration wherein the platform (116) and the robotic arm (112) are at least partly located outside the container (110) .

6. An autonomous charging system (100) as claimed in Claim5, further comprising a power unit (120) for providing electrical power for charging the electric vehicle (300) , the power unit being outside and separate from the container (110) and connectable to the charging cable (132) .

7. An autonomous charging system (100) as claimed in Claim6, further comprising a power cable for providing electric power for operating the robotic arm (112) , the power cable being connectable to the power unit (120) , separately from the charging cable (132) .

8. An autonomous charging system (100) as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 7, wherein the platform (116) is movably mounted to at least one guide rail (136) , wherein the platform actuator is configured to move the platform (116) along the guide rail, and wherein the guide rail (136) is at least partly mounted to a sidewall of the container (110) .

9. An autonomous charging system (100) as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 7, wherein the platform (116) is movably mounted to at least one guide rail (136) , wherein the platform actuator is configured to move the platform (116)along the guide rail (136) , and wherein the guide rail is at least partly mounted to a floor of the container (110) .

10. An autonomous charging system (100) as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the robotic arm (112) comprises at least one electric actuator for positioning the charging connector (114) relative to the charging inlet of the electric vehicle (300) .

11. An autonomous charging system (100) as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the robotic arm (112) comprises at least one hydraulic actuator (115) for positioning the charging connector (114) relative to the charging inlet of the electric vehicle (300) .

12. An autonomous charging system (100) as claimed in Claim 11, further comprising a hydraulic pump (117) , fluidly coupled to the at least one hydraulic actuator(115) and supported on the platform (116) for moving therewith .

13. A method for charging an electric vehicle (300) , comprising the steps of:- the electric vehicle (300) approaching an autonomous charging system (100) as claimed in any of the preceding Claims ;- operating the platform actuator to move the platform(116) to a location in a vicinity of the charging inlet of the electric vehicle (300) ;- identifying and locating the charging inlet of the electric vehicle (300) ;- operating the robotic arm (112) to connect the charging connector (114) to the charging inlet of the electric vehicle (300) ; and- charging the electric vehicle (300) .

14. A method for charging an electric vehicle (300) as claimed in Claim 13, further comprising the steps of:- the electric vehicle (300) moving from a first location (410) to a second location (420) during the charging of the electric vehicle (300) ; and- operating the platform actuator and the robotic arm (112) , such that the charging connector (114) stays connected to the charging inlet of the electric vehicle (300) while the electric vehicle (300) moves to the second location (420) .

15. A method for charging an electric vehicle (300) as claimed in Claim 13 or 14, further comprising a step of operating the robotic arm (112) to disconnect the charging connector (114) from the charging inlet of the electric vehicle (300) .

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