Under the hood?
One small detail has caught our attention in the Volkswagen ID. LIFE concept, revealed at the International Motor Show IAA MOBILITY 2021 in Munich, Germany.
The charging inlet – CCS Combo 2 (for AC and DC charging) – is installed under the hood, where the windshield fluid and a tiny frunk (front trunk) is located.
We are accustomed to various manufacturers installing charging inlets in various places – front (like in the Nissan LEAF), front-side (left or right), rear-side (rear or right) or in the rear (some Mercedes-Benz plug-in hybrids). Even on the hood like in the Honda e. But under the hood?
Well, that’s interesting. As the MEB-Small platform is front-wheel drive and all drive and power electronic components are in the front, such a location might be a cost-saving feature.
If the charging inlet is in close proximity to the onboard charger, the cables might be shorter and lighter. There is also no need for a separate charging door. On top of that, there is a front trunk, with a charging cable ready to use (European AC Type 2 to Type 2).
On the other hand, opening the frunk to charge the car daily at home does not sound convenient, especially since home charging units in Europe often have their own fixed charging cables.
We guess that in the public, the frunk can be closed with a charging cable connected to a charging station because leaving an open frunk would be pretty bad also for other reasons.
Well, it’s worth taking note as it seems that the manufacturers seek unconventional solutions to lower the cost of their upcoming entry-level EVs. This one might be one step too far.
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