Kiwi Charge launches autonomous EV charging project

Canadian robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) startup Kiwi Charge has launched an autonomous electric vehicle (EV) charging project with CA$1.7m in funding from public and private backers. The initiative is supported by the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), alongside industry partners General Motors Canada and Pfaff Automotive.

The investment includes a CA$500,000 grant through the OVIN R&D Partnership Fund and CA$1.2m from industry partners. Kiwi Charge will use the funding to prototype and test autonomous mobile charging units designed to address EV charging challenges in buildings where fixed chargers are cost-prohibitive.

The company said 30% of EV owners in urban centres live in multi-tenant buildings where installing fixed chargers is often impractical. Its mobile chargers operate without rewiring parking garages and can serve multiple EVs dynamically. Kiwi Charge is also developing a manual mobile unit for automotive dealerships.

In a statement, Abdel Ali, Chief Executive of Kiwi Charge, said: “This project is about more than just EV charging; it’s about reshaping urban infrastructure by leveraging our strength and expertise in robotics and artificial intelligence.”

The company will unveil its latest autonomous charging robot at the Canadian International AutoShow from 13 to 22 February.

Source: Business Wire