# Charging port beneath the car



## RickDeckard (Apr 7, 2017)

So do you think Model 3 will have a port for Auto-charging beneath the car?

https://electrek.co/2017/04/22/tesla-patent-automate-charging/


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## Gabzqc (Oct 15, 2016)

my 20cents, nope!


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## SoFlaModel3 (Apr 15, 2017)

RickDeckard said:


> So do you think Model 3 will have a port for Auto-charging beneath the car?
> 
> https://electrek.co/2017/04/22/tesla-patent-automate-charging/


I say yes, but that doesn't mean the Model 3 that we get will have it. A future update will get it and we will probably miss out.


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## BigBri (Jul 16, 2016)

If they intend to enable fully autonomous fleet sharing with the year of Model3 then I'd say yes. It's a very elegant solution to the self charging option. The snake would be very expensive I'd imagine and prone to malfunctioning. Seems much simpler to have the call roll into a space and stop at a specific point and connect everything. Could use the existing sensors and cameras to be precisely in the right spot and bluetooth too like was mentioned. If the car launches without it you'll probably have to manually charge it if you're using the Tesla network. I just can't see the snakes being cost effective and reliable longterm.


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## TrevP (Oct 20, 2015)

Why is this a focus on their cars? Just because the patent shows a car in the diagram doesn't mean that's the intent. They have semi trucks being unveiled in September you know...


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## RickDeckard (Apr 7, 2017)

Would make sense for trucks indeed, although having a reliable and low maintenance automated recharging capability for the fleet of autimated cars would also have its advantages.


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## Guest (Apr 24, 2017)

I think the snake will be the primary/preferred solution.
If they can't make it work (which is very unlikely, I see no unsolvable obstacles)
then belly connection is definitely going to work.

The reason snake should work is the fact that charging port position will also be
autonomously set - no driver error. Therefore snake can be simplified a lot.
And actually snake doesn't have to be snake. It can have just like 4-5 servos,
a few more than belly connection (3 servos)


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## Gabzqc (Oct 15, 2016)

I was imagining the snake could be stored in the upright position, inside a specially designed cupboard/cubby with an automatic sliding door. Similar to the original supercharger system that rotated out of the way for you to get the charging cable out. This way the weather stays out of the joints of the "snake" and more importantly out of the (now facing the skies) charging plug!


Car parks perfectly in place using AP2
Car sends bluetooth signal to charging station
sliding door opens on cupboard
charge port opens on car
snake lowers down into position and plugs into car.
System reversed at end of charge...

As seen in this video!


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## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

arnis said:


> And actually snake doesn't have to be snake. It can have just like 4-5 servos


I agree. A standard industrial robotic arm could easily be repurposed for this use.


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## Badback (Apr 7, 2016)

arnis said:


> I think the snake will be the primary/preferred solution.
> If they can't make it work (which is very unlikely, I see no unsolvable obstacles)
> then belly connection is definitely going to work.
> 
> ...


The snake has 3 servos.


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## JWardell (May 9, 2016)

My $140 robot vacuum can line up and charge itself. Tesla will have no problem figuring out a simple solution as well.
The autonomous car sharing fleet of the future demands it.


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## 3Victoria (Jul 17, 2016)

The underground charger/cooling has an x-y bed that can position itself to the car.


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## Guest (Apr 24, 2017)

Badback said:


> The snake has 3 servos.


3 servos and 3 brakes in every segment (around 51)?


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## Gabzqc (Oct 15, 2016)

arnis said:


> 3 servos and 3 brakes in every segment (around 51)?


Does the "snake" have any side to side motion? it looks like it can only adjust on one axis...


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## Gabzqc (Oct 15, 2016)

Second half of the video the boys from Now You Know talk about the charging system and underground charging for M3 (speculation of course)


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## Guest (Apr 25, 2017)

Gabzqc said:


> Does the "snake" have any side to side motion? it looks like it can only adjust on one axis...


We can clearly see movement in every direction.
You meant one plane, not one axis. 
If it really works with 3 servos, then it has 3 cables pulled/pushed and every segment grabs/releases moving cables at appropriate moment. Every brake must have either address for digital control or analog wiring. More complicated than endoscope.


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## TrevP (Oct 20, 2015)

Here's the "snake" for those who might have missed it


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## RickDeckard (Apr 7, 2017)

the beneath the car port sounds like it could be seriously super fast charging (with cooling which suggest its not your grandmother's old fashioned charging)


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## Badback (Apr 7, 2016)

arnis said:


> 3 servos and 3 brakes in every segment (around 51)?


Please name your source.


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## Guest (Apr 25, 2017)

Badback said:


> The snake has 3 servos.





arnis said:


> 3 servos and 3 brakes in every segment (around 51)?


Can you decrypt punctuation in the end of the sentences? 
You had a period, or "full stop", which means you said a statement.
I had a question mark, which means I asked a question. From you BTW.

Now you ask my sources? Maybe you start with your sources, then I can quote you as my source

If it really has 3 servos then there must be brakes. Source? School. I'm certified non-idiot.


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## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

arnis said:


> Can you decrypt punctuation in the end of the sentences?


I also read your sentence as a statement instead of a question. It was missing a subject and verb. If you had started it with "Do you mean...", then the intent would have been clear.


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## Michael Russo (Oct 15, 2016)

arnis said:


> Can you decrypt punctuation in the end of the sentences?
> You had a period, or "full stop", which means you said a statement.
> I had a question mark, which means I asked a question. From you BTW.
> 
> ...





garsh said:


> I also read your sentence as a statement instead of a question. It was missing a subject and verb. If you had started it with "Do you mean...", then the intent would have been clear.


See this exchange as a _classic misunderstanding_, @arnis, as indicated in @garsh 's interpretation while I, on the other hand, did get you were trying to build on @Badback 's original statement by asking a clarification question...
Yet pray not go the path of what could be construed as somewhat confrontational and in any case a bit unnecessarily snippy in your post #20 above... Appreciate it!


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