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Hello, I'm not an owner and not a regular visitor here, but I'm curious if there has been any discussion about some sort of automated plug-in mechanism that could be added to (or included with) home chargers.

I know that:

  • "Wireless charging" has an appeal to a certain segment of owners and the population
  • People can be lazy (regardless of how easy a task), but also
  • That they/we can be forgetful (regardless of the importance of a task)
  • Tesla is interested in eliminating every conceivable objection to EVs, regardless of how minor.
Therefore, I think that such a system would have its appeal and practical uses. And given Tesla's robotics and technical expertise, it seems like it would be a piece of cake to design, implement and offer (if only as an option). A sensor would just notice when the vehicle arrives in or near* its standard parking space, and then the plug would "come alive", finding and moving close to the charge port. The latch would then open, and the plug would insert itself... without you doing a thing. (i.e., you could just park and go inside).

Impossible? Impractical? Not enough demand? I'm missing something? Love to hear some feedback!

* Another advantage to any wireless charging system is that accuracy of parking would not be required.
 
It would be kind of cool, but:

  • That they/we can be forgetful (regardless of the importance of a task)

Plugging in when I get home is habit, so I never forget.

  • Tesla is interested in eliminating every conceivable objection to EVs, regardless of how minor.

It's already more convenient to plug in every night when I get home than it is to go to a gas station on a regular basis.
 
Plugging in when I get home is habit, so I never forget.
Never? Plus, you're not the only one out there; others, including myself have forgotten (i.e., this isn't personal). I just think that it might be a nice feature to offer, as eventually hundreds of thousands and millions of vehicles are sold. Some buyers might like the idea, especially if done right (by Tesla), for the right price.

It's already more convenient to plug in every night when I get home than it is to go to a gas station on a regular basis.
Yes, it's also already more convenient than having a tooth pulled, but that's besides the point. Again, this isn't (just) about you, and no one is comparing it to gassers. The comparison is between having to plug in and not having to plug in -- some people may not like to have to even think about plugging in (much or at all. I'd surely be happy not to have to ever "think about" charging my phone). Or have we reached the end of the convenience-as-a-feature "road"?
 
Would you need a device that automatically plugs in your mobile phone when you get home? It might be cool to have this for the Model S but would likely be expensive and really isn't needed. I almost never forget to plug in (once a year maybe) so some $1000+ device to help with they isn't worth it to me. Wireless charging if anything would be more useful especially for street parking.
 
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Is this what you had in mind? If it was available I would get it just for the cool factor...and quite reasonably my neighbors would hate me even more than they already did on account of having a Tesla... :love:

rinspeed-xchange-concept--2014-geneva-motor-show-live-photos_100458903_m.jpg
 
Is this what you had in mind? If it was available I would get it just for the cool factor...

If it does what it looks like, yes! (But also, provided that the vehicle does not need to be precision-parked, which appears to be the case.)

I have a hunch that a lot of Tesla owners are into the cool factor :wink:, so it might be a popular option!
 
In the meantime while you are waiting for R2-D2 to arrive and plug in your Model S, grab VisibleTesla and set it up to email before you go to bed if your car isn't plugged in... at least you'll have addressed the forgetfulness part....
 
And if you have the typical commute of 10-30ish miles a day you can forget to plug in a few days in a row and still be ok.

For home use, I'd suggest wireless charging rather than robotic plugging, unless you're the gotta-have-home-HPWC-and-dual-chargers type.

Robotic plugging will be useful in the future at Superchargers. Drive up to the back of the line. Get out. Let car park itself.

Actually, scratch that: drive up to entrance to mall/restaurant/hotel. Get out. Let car park itself.
 
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In the meantime while you are waiting for R2-D2 to arrive and plug in your Model S, grab VisibleTesla and set it up to email before you go to bed if your car isn't plugged in... at least you'll have addressed the forgetfulness part....

Right...forgetfulness taken care of. I wonder how long it would take the forgetful types to forget that there is a robotic charging arm stealthily hidden in a dark corner of their garage, positioned about crotch high bristling with 80 amps of AC current, and waiting for the right moment to interface with a suitable charging receptacle?
 
Right...forgetfulness taken care of. I wonder how long it would take the forgetful types to forget that there is a robotic charging arm stealthily hidden in a dark corner of their garage, positioned about crotch high bristling with 80 amps of AC current, and waiting for the right moment to interface with a suitable charging receptacle?

Several years ago, the MIT AI people were experimenting with small, autonomous robots. One the features that they put in the robot was an algorithm to search for wall outlets to recharge. As the robot's charge got lower, it gave higher priority to charging over other tasks.
 
Before: I don't need this.
In the meantime while you are waiting for R2-D2 to arrive and plug in your Model S, grab VisibleTesla and set it up to email before you go to bed if your car isn't plugged in... at least you'll have addressed the forgetfulness part....
Now: I need it. Whatever it is.

;)

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Right...forgetfulness taken care of. I wonder how long it would take the forgetful types to forget that there is a robotic charging arm stealthily hidden in a dark corner of their garage, positioned about crotch high bristling with 80 amps of AC current, and waiting for the right moment to interface with a suitable charging receptacle?
So many inappropriate replies. :)
 
Particularly if you are going to use the AutoPark feature on a regular basis, you'll need AutoPlug.

Yes, Elon seems quite committed to the idea. You cannot have auto-park or auto-pick-up without it. It was pretty funny that he said, "my engineers are hearing about this [feature requirement] in real-time." It must be both exhilarating and exhausting to work for him!
 
Project Better Place had proposed doing this too.

Driven: Shai Agassi's Audacious Plan to Put Electric Cars on the Road
...An automatic arm extends to plug into the car...

Maybe the arm isn't so wrong. "This is 'think different,'" he says, invoking Apple, a company that features prominently in the detailed business metaphors he always seems to have at hand. "What do we need to make this happen? Two servos, two degrees of movement for the arm." Pause. "This is the driver experience: He goes into a spot and the spot connects itself. In 2008, we put the cable in the unit, in 2010 we use an arm, in 2012, there's a smart arm that connects automatically...