Lotus unveils 500kW electric car charger

500kw charger connects to the car via a robotic arm

Robotic arm automatically connects to the car and uncorks Eletre SUV’s full recharging potential

Lotus has unveiled an electric car chargepoint, claimed to support recharging at rates of up to 500kW, at the Shanghai motor show.

The station has been displayed on the show floor connecting to a Lotus Eletre SUV using a robotic arm, which emerges from an exterior cover and automatically locates the car’s connector.

Lotus is yet to confirm whether its new – as-yet unnamed – chargepoint will be offered to operators across the UK. It will initially be rolled out as part of a fleet of 50 across China, open to all cars.

The most powerful charger currently available on the UK’s roads is the ABB Terra 360  – outputting up to 360kW – used at Gridserve’s Braintree, Essex, forecourt.

The deployment of Lotus’s charger is expected to coincide with the arrival of a series of fast-charging Chinese electric cars over the next two years. 




Shock @lotuscars unveiling! But it's not a car - it's a robotic charging device which can top up any electric car at up to 500kW... pic.twitter.com/V82qgmG7MJ

— Autocar (@autocar) April 18, 2023




For example, the Eletre supports a 420kW charge rate, faster than the 270kW claimed for the upcoming Porsche Macan EV and the 240kW supported by cars on Hyundai-Kia’s GMP platform, such as the Kia EV6.

Chinese-market examples of the XPeng G9 push that rate further, supporting 480kW charging. However, European examples will be limited to 300kW.

Nio yesterday set its first 500kW chargers live across 12 cities in China, including Shanghai.