CTU FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE · INDUSTRIAL DESIGN · 2020
Urban Charger
An EV charging station designed around more than the car. Space for the user, a clear route along the pavement, and a considered place for new technology in the urban street.
22 kW
Proposed AC charging power
2 cars
Two opposing control panels
4 variants
Freestanding / wall-mounted · standard / lower height
01 / URBAN CHARGER
New technology. An existing city.
How can charging become part of a street that already has its own character and ways of working?
Urban Charger was developed as a charging station for everyday urban parking. The car charges while its driver is at work, at home or running errands. This allows the station to remain compact and sit directly beside the pavement.
The brief brought together three requirements: a discreet presence in public space, intuitive operation, and a construction suited to folded sheet metal. The product and the space it needs around it were equally important.
02 / URBAN CHARGER
Two sides. A clear approach.
A darker enclosure unifies the product. The lighter front panels make it clear where to approach and interact with it.
Space for each user
The two control panels face in opposite directions. Each driver has a separate interface and room to handle the cable. The plain side of the charger defines the boundary with the pedestrian route along the pavement.
Controls in a natural sequence
The display sits at the top of the panel for easy reading, user identification below it, and the charging socket within comfortable reach. Light indicators help users locate the active interface and communicate charging status towards the street.
Explore the components
01 · LED status indicators
Four illuminated segments for each charging point.
02 · Touchscreen
Operating instructions and charging information.
03 · QR code location
Station identification and access to the charging service.
04 · RFID / NFC reader
Identification by card, fob or phone.
05 · Mennekes Type 2 socket
AC charging with a proposed power of 22 kW.
06 · Self-supporting enclosure
Folded sheet metal with a powder-coated finish.
07 · Plinth ventilation
Cooling for the electronics with replaceable filters.
08 · Service access
A plinth door and two opposing front panels.
03 / URBAN CHARGER
One interface. Two heights.
Accessibility shapes both the position of the controls and the layout of the parking space.
Standard-height version
The display is positioned for easy reading and operation. The lower socket makes connecting the cable easier, without unnecessary lifting or bending.
Lower-height version
The dimensions of the upper module stay the same. A shorter plinth brings the controls within easier reach while retaining a consistent interface.
The accessible layout considers both the approach to the charger and the route back to the vehicle. The cable runs alongside the car so a wheelchair user does not have to cross it.
04 / URBAN CHARGER
Every centimetre around the charger matters.
Charging port positions vary between cars. The location of the station cannot be based on a single vehicle.
The port is not always in the same place
The proposal considers connectors at both the front and rear of a vehicle. Parking orientation affects cable reach and the position from which the charger is operated.
A small offset keeps the route clear
The station is offset from the boundary between two parking spaces. This improves passage between vehicles and gives more flexibility for cable routing. The control panels are perpendicular to the roadway.
05 / URBAN CHARGER
One principle. Three parking layouts.
The charger placement responds to the street. Each axonometric view and plan shows the same arrangement.
Perpendicular parking
Driving or reversing into the space allows the car orientation to suit its charging port position. The station sits slightly off the boundary between spaces.
Parallel parking
A layout for narrow urban streets. The station position between two spaces considers pedestrian passage and the different distances to vehicle connectors.
Angled parking
The charger uses the space between vehicles. The shape of the kerb defines a handling area and helps separate it from pedestrian movement.
06 / URBAN CHARGER
Freestanding or on the wall.
Two mounting options, each at standard or lower height.
Double-sided freestanding station
Two independent control panels serve two parking spaces. The plinth determines the height; the upper charging module retains the same proportions.
Single-sided wall-mounted version
Half of the body, with a single control panel, can be mounted on an existing wall, for example in a garage. This version can also be installed at standard or lower height.
07 / URBAN CHARGER
A form designed for sheet metal.
The construction is based on cutting, folding and joining sheet-metal parts.
Self-supporting construction
The proposal uses 2 mm sheet metal. Parts are designed for folding and welding, with visible joints ground smooth. The separately coated plinth and body are bolted together.
Access for maintenance
Two front panels and a door in the plinth provide access to the internal components. The electronics are designed for DIN-rail mounting. Ventilation in the upper plinth incorporates replaceable filters.
08 / URBAN CHARGER
A product and a piece of public space.
Urban Charger connects product construction with ergonomics and street layout.
The result is a family of charging stations with a consistent interface, adapted to different spatial situations. The relationships between car, driver and pedestrian matter as much as the shape of the product itself.
The 2020 project documents a design and construction proposal. New visualisations and diagrams extend its presentation; the technical specifications describe the original concept.
Technical and project information
| Category | Design proposal |
|---|---|
| Project type | Semester design project · CTU Faculty of Architecture, Prague · 2020 |
| Designer | Ondřej Pechal |
| Project supervisors | Martin Tvarůžek · Tomáš Bláha |
| Application | EV charging during parking in urban settings |
| Charging interface | Mennekes Type 2 · AC · proposed power 22 kW |
| Number of control panels | Two on the freestanding version, one on the wall-mounted version |
| Display | Touchscreen · proposed diagonal 5.7″ |
| User identification | RFID / NFC and a location for a static QR code |
| Construction | Self-supporting folded sheet metal, 2 mm thick |
| Surface finish | Powder coating |
| Mounting options | Standard- and lower-height freestanding and wall-mounted versions |
FROM CONCEPT TO CONSTRUCTION
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