Rheinmetall introduces curb chargers that blend into the landscape

The curb chargers could potentially help Germany achieve its goal of having a million public charging points by 2030.

German tech firm Rheinmetall unveiled a novel solution to electric vehicle charging at a recently held E-Mobility Conference.

The company introduced its new curb charger concept, which conveniently blends into the landscape of a densely populated area. The EV charger is integrated into the curbstone, instantly turning it into a de-facto charging station. The EV charging concept by Rheinmetall makes use of existing urban infrastructure without the requirement of large spaces or conventional pole-type chargers - becoming almost invisible when not in use.

The charging modules can be retrofitted into the existing boardwalk. The company states that installation takes just a few minutes and that they even make dummy curbstones at desired locations, enabling subsequent scalability. The modules are said to be capable of charging 22kW AC and are integrated with the existing backend and charging infrastructure systems.

In addition to the roadside curb charging, the concept can also be extended to include EV charging in residential settings for single homes or apartment buildings, business parking lots or at employer parking facilities.

Rheinmetall is currently performing comprehensive long-term tests of the concept. They will start a pilot project in the second phase before being introduced in public spaces. The curb chargers could potentially help Germany achieve its goal of having a million public charging points by 2030.