A viral video circulating on social media has people in awe. The video shows China’s innovative approach to electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the form of a ceiling-mounted robotic arm.
As apparent from the video, that arm can travel along overhead rails to automatically charge vehicles in parking garages without requiring individual chargers at every spot. The system eliminates the need for drivers to wait in line or search for available charging stations, representing a significant advancement in urban EV infrastructure.
The technology, that seems to make these charging robots “fly”, operates through a ceiling-mounted robotic charger that moves along overhead rail tracks installed in parking garages. Acting as both power conduit and mobility system, the rail allows the unit to travel to any parking space it serves. Drivers request charging via a WeChat mini-program or QR code, which prompts the robot to navigate to the vehicle, identify the charging port using cameras and sensors, and automatically connect the charging plug.
According to developers, this approach significantly reduces infrastructure costs compared to traditional installations. Instead of installing individual chargers at every parking spot, a single rail can power an entire row of vehicles from a single connection point. This cost efficiency addresses one of the major barriers to rapid EV charging infrastructure expansion in urban areas where space is limited and installation costs are high.
However, the system does have a notable limitation: charging speed. Because it relies on Level 2 AC power delivered through the rail, it cannot match the performance of dedicated DC fast chargers. But for locations where cars remain parked for extended periods, i.e., offices, shopping centers, and residential complexes, the slower charging rate proves sufficient. This makes the technology ideal for the overnight or all-day charging scenarios that comprise much of real-world EV usage.
Several Chinese companies are already commercializing this solution at scale. LiAuto and CGXi developed what they claim is the “world’s first” rail-based unmanned robotic charging arm that moves along a sled-style rail equipped with sensor arrays and vision systems to identify charging points and vehicle orientation. Wave Charging operates a competing system called HAVA Robot, which uses an 18-degree-of-freedom flexible robotic arm riding on an H-shaped overhead track and can serve eight or more parking spaces from a single unit.
Ground-based charging robots are also gaining momentum, with companies such as CATL subsidiary CharGo, NaaS Technology, GGSN, and VMR accelerating deployments across China. CharGo’s chief executive has projected that robotic systems could charge up to 20 percent of new energy vehicles by 2030, indicating industry confidence in the technology’s scalability and commercial viability.
Government support is accelerating adoption. Beijing authorities plan to roll out 1,000 mobile charging robots across roughly 150 parking facilities, signaling strong institutional backing for automated charging infrastructure. This investment demonstrates China’s recognition that robotic charging systems could play a crucial role in supporting the country’s ambitious EV expansion targets.
China is not alone in exploring this technology, though the scale of deployment differs significantly. In the United States, Westfalia Technologies introduced its WEPLUG system in May 2025, a 50 kW DC overhead gantry charger designed for automated parking facilities, fleet depots, and corporate campuses. The system uses a vision-guided robotic arm that lowers a connector into an adapter inserted by the driver, enabling multiple parking spaces to be served. New York City’s Voltpost Air takes a different approach, moving charging hardware off crowded street-level infrastructure. However, none of the Western deployments match the rapid rollout of robotic charging infrastructure underway in China in terms of scale and integration across urban parking systems.
The aggressive deployment of these systems reflects China’s strategy to overcome critical bottlenecks in EV adoption. By automating the charging process and reducing installation costs, Chinese cities are creating charging networks that are both more convenient for drivers and economically viable for infrastructure operators.