EV drivers love skipping the traditional gas station, but those who charge at home still have to manually plug in their vehicles almost every night. It’s not a dealbreaker really, but consumer technology giant Xiaomi wants to eliminate that last bit of physical effort. The company demonstrated a new home charging robotic arm that automates the entire process. This device takes care of both plugging in and unplugging EVs without any human intervention. Xiaomi says it is ready to launch this automated accessory on the retail market in the fourth quarter of 2026, targeting the residential garages where most EV owners recharge.

Xiaomi fulfills an old promise that the wider automotive industry failed to deliver. More than ten years ago, Tesla chief Elon Musk promised a similar solution for electric cars, describing a metal snake charger that would automatically extend from a wall. Tesla even revealed a working prototype in 2015, but the project quietly disappeared into the corporate graveyard. Instead, Tesla shifted its focus toward wireless inductive charging for models like the Cybercab robotaxi. Xiaomi decided to stick to the physical plug concept and make it production-ready.

The physical design of the Xiaomi robotic arm is perfect for tight residential spaces. The housing measures exactly 6 inches wide, allowing it to fit easily next to vehicles in small home garages. The system uses advanced artificial intelligence vision recognition to guide the charging gun with sub-millimeter precision into the vehicle’s port. It also communicates directly with the car to trigger motorized charge port covers to open and close automatically. Owners can monitor and manage the system remotely through their smartphones, as the arm completely integrates into the brand’s existing smart home and vehicle ecosystem.

Automated mechanical arms solve a major technical issue that currently plagues wireless charging alternatives. Wireless pads remove the need for a physical cord, but they suffer from lower energy efficiency. Standard wireless inductive systems operate at an efficiency rate between 88 percent and 93 percent under perfect alignment. Direct physical plug-in systems operate at roughly 95 percent efficiency because they eliminate the air gap between the pad and the vehicle. On top of that, wireless charging under the common SAE J2954 standard generally tops out at 11 kW of power, whereas physical plugs can handle much higher rates.

Tesla prototype from 2015

For owners of modern EVs, these small percentages make a financial difference over time. Wasted energy transforms into heat and increases electricity bills over the years of daily use. A mechanical system preserves the full efficiency of a direct connection while offering the exact same convenience as a wireless system. Additionally, owners do not need to install heavy or expensive hardware inside their electric cars to make it work. The robotic arm functions perfectly with any standard charging port already built into the vehicle.

Xiaomi has not confirmed a final price for the new accessory, which will join its current lineup of 7 kW and 11 kW wallbox chargers. Price will decide whether home consumers adopt the technology. The company faces rising competition in the automated charging sector, particularly within the Chinese market. Other automakers are rushing to develop similar hands-free systems for their own premium electric cars – Li Auto announced ongoing tests for its own automatic charging robot during the launch of the Li Auto i8 electric SUV.

Similarly, the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA from Huawei) revealed an automated charging system for the Aito M8. That setup allows drivers to use an off-vehicle parking feature to send the car into a bay, where a robotic arm opens the port and inserts the plug automatically. Beyond automotive brands, independent infrastructure companies are entering the race. Star Charge introduced its own fully automatic robotic system called Armstrong – it achieves millimeter-level accuracy, connects in under 40 seconds, supports liquid-cooled ultra-fast charging, and uses a patented adapter ring to fit various global plug standards.

Chinese manufacturers focus heavily on residential solutions, and global automakers are exploring public applications for this technology. Hyundai has been testing its own automatic charging robots at Incheon International Airport to assist travelers. Other companies are testing ceiling-rail-mounted robots that slide across commercial parking garages to service multiple vehicles. Because roughly 80 percent of EV charging takes place at home, Xiaomi’s compact garage-ready arm could give the company a meaningful advantage if the retail price is reasonable.

Via

Welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short, The Drive’s morning automotive news roundup bringing you the biggest headlines from around the globe.

We hope you had a fine weekend. Here are the stories worth catching up on for Monday, June 8, 2026.

Honda is seemingly planning significant refreshes for the Accord and Passport for next year. One Honda executive teased a “substantially redesigned Accord that will feel like a new model,” while an anonymous source said the automaker is “giving [the Passport] more testosterone” and that “it’s a little more masculine.” [Automotive News]

Stellantis will sell the the new Dodge Charger in Europe, from gas-powered Sixpack models to the battery-electric Daytona, in two- and four-door varieties. [Stellantis]

Subaru has promised no less than three new manual-toting models for Japan: a new hatchback seemingly inspired by the Performance-B STI Concept from last year’s Japan Mobility Show; a WRX with the more durable TY85 manual from the prior-gen STI; and a leaner, sharper BRZ. It’s unclear if any of these vehicles will be sold in the U.S. [Carscoops]

Subaru also issued a rather odd press release over the weekend, “[announcing] that it is considering” selling the three-row Ascent in Japan, where it has not been offered to date. The Ascent is built in Indiana. [Subaru]

Toyota seemingly can’t crank out new RAV4s quickly enough, with less than five days’ worth of inventory in the U.S. at present, as the hybrid SUV has been selling fast due to rising gas prices. [Bloomberg]

⛐ Ford of Europe has continued playing coy on the prospect of a Fiesta and/or Focus revival, with its product chief saying, with respect to new ST or RS models, that, “To be credible and authentic, there needs to be some kind of performance series of our vehicles.” [Auto Express]

Uber has opened a waitlist for customers in London who want to use the company’s robotaxi service in the city first, though no prospective launch date has yet been given. [Bloomberg]

Weekend race results:

• NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Michigan: Corey Heim won for Tricon Garage
• British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park: Dan Cammish, Ash Sutton, and Charles Rainford each won races
• MotoGP Hungarian Grand Prix: Marc Marquez won for Ducati
• Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix: Kimi Antonelli won for Mercedes
• NASCAR Cup Series at Michigan: Denny Hamlin won for Joe Gibbs Racing
• IndyCar at St. Louis: Josef Newgarden won for Team Penske

Got a news tip? Reach out to tips@thedrive.com

One of the rare operating fast chargers on the Nullarbor Plain is now out of action – to the frustration of EV drivers on the journey between South Australia and Western Australia – after a truck reportedly wiped out the facility’s solar canopy.

The incident at the Border Village fast charging station – operated by the NRMA – was reported online by one EV driver making the journey, Michael Fink.

“Border Village chargers are out of action, apparently taken out by a truck. We are charging at Mundrabilla,” Fink posted on the social media platform X.

Another reader suggested it was potentially an accident waiting to happen at what they rated as the best charger on the Nullarbor journey.

“That was the best charger on the Nullarbor – worked both times (78 kW) we used it in March,” wrote Alex M. Have to say the trucks pass very close as they manoeuvre for fuel. Couldn’t imagine they will repair the solar canopy in a hurry.”

A notice on the Plugshare app used by EV drivers to find EV charging spots confirmed the facility is out of action.

“This charger is currently out of service,” NRMA said in a post dated April 18. “Our Technician is scheduled to investigate and if possible, repair the charger. We hope to be up and running again soon.”

The facility at Border Village has only recently been upgraded, although users found it difficult to use for some EV models, and charging availability across the Nullarbor has long been an issue.

Fink noted that the EV charger at Norseman is also under repair, and noted the slow charging rates at other EV stations along the route, and the fact that he even had to plug in to a power point at a caravan park at one point when the EV charger at Balladonia failed.

He noted that the charging network in remote areas is “shite.”

“A painful day,” he wrote. “If you are intending to cross the Nullarbor and have an EV and a fossil fuel car, take the latter.”

See also: Electric vehicle charging in Australia; are we there yet?

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Giles Parkinson is founder and editor of The Driven, and also edits and founded the Renew Economy and One Step Off The Grid web sites. He has been a journalist for nearly 40 years, is a former business and deputy editor of the Australian Financial Review, and owns a Tesla Model 3.