To be clear, plugging in an EV takes less than a minute, and it\u2019s not exactly rocket science. However, there is one scenario where manually plugging in your EV can be impossible: an automated parking garage. Here, a robotic arm that plugs in makes a lot of sense, and that\u2019s why a new residential parking garage in California went down this route.<\/p>\n
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Menlo Park\u2019s Lume apartment complex opened in late 2024, but its fully automated garage with robotic EV charging arm was completed last year. The building project is located in a FEMA flood zone, which means developers were prohibited from building below-grade parking. What\u2019s more, a zoning height restriction limited the area available for parking. The solution was to build a high-density three-level automated parking system that offers over 450 spaces\u2013a first for an apartment community in the United States, according to Greystar, the real estate company that runs the complex.<\/p>\n
Drivers leave their cars at the garage entrance, and the system takes care of the rest, ferrying the vehicles to the first available spot. Through a smartphone app, EV drivers can request a charging session, and if a spot is open, the vehicle is automatically transferred to a charging bay, where a robotic arm plugs in a Level 2 cable. When the charging reaches the desired level, the car is unplugged and moved to another spot, leaving the charging bay open for another EV that might need a top-up.<\/p>\n
Lume Menlo Park\u2019s automated parking system was developed by Switzerland\u2019s Sofetin and installed by California-based Parkworks. Meanwhile, Heller Manus Architects designed the housing project, while the parking garage project is the brainchild of Watry Design. The two residential buildings have a total of 441 multi-family units and include amenities such as co-working spaces, a pool and a yoga studio. That said, it\u2019s worth noting that this is Silicon Valley we\u2019re talking about, so it all comes at a cost, with the cheapest monthly lease I could find<\/a> starting from around $3,300.<\/p>\n \n \t\tWe want your opinion!\n\t<\/p>\n What would you like to see on Insideevs.com?<\/p>\n