JOULE
LABS:
BUILDING FUTURE-READY AUTONOMOUS ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING SOLUTIONS
As part of their work through the Global Epicenter of Mobility (GEM) EDA Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBRC) grant, the Testing and Proving (T&P) pillar team at the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME) supported electrical upgrades to the Detroit Smart Parking Lab (DSPL) and provided $761,117 in matching fund grants to 12 start-ups to test their technologies at the DSPL. One grant recipient is start-up Joule Labs, which worked at DSPL to develop and test their ‘Mobee’ autonomous electric vehicle charging solutions.
The
“Mobee” is a proof-of-concept automated EV charging solution with both static automated and mobile automated charging variants, from San Jose-based Joule Labs.
Though headquartered in San Jose, CA, Joule Labs Founder and CEO Nino Vidovic recognizes the importance of Detroit to the development of their robotics-powered, automated EV charging solutions, including the proof-of-concept of their flagship static automated charging system and their mobile automated charging robot. With these technologies, Joule Labs aims to make charging faster, more accessible, and scalable for both vendors and consumers.
JOULE LABS STATIC AUTOMATED MOBEE CHARGING SOLUTION
THE MOBEE MOBILE EV CHARGING SOLUTION. [BOTH PHOTOS THIS PAGE: JOULE LABS]
From Prototype to Proof-of-Concept. In 2022, the innovators at Joule Labs set out to address what they believed to be some of the key challenges of charging infrastructure, including lack of flexibility, high operational costs, and limited options for EV users in existing parking options. When Joule Labs won their first grant through the state of Michigan at DSPL in 2023, they drove their prototype robot across the country from the barn in California where they did their initial build, to the Detroit Smart Parking Lab. Following the successful testing of their static automated charging dock, Joule Labs secured a second follow-on grant in 2024 to develop and test a mobile charging system at DSPL.
Our
first breakthrough was the first grant that we got through the state of Michigan at DSPL…[it was an] exciting thing [to win] since we were one of many companies applying to the grant…being picked as a recipient was actually quite exciting and another confirmation that our vision at Joule Labs might just be right on track…maybe there was something
From Test Site to Real World Deployment. Successful testing, along with subsequent iterations and technology enhancements, has enabled Joule Labs to advance from test-site validation to real-world pilots and early deployments. In 2024, the company was selected as one of 10 semi-finalists in the Toyota Mobility Foundation’s Sustainable Cities Challenge in Detroit, where it tested innovative freight solutions for the city’s Eastern Market. Joule Labs also recently received a grant to pilot its static automated charging system in collaboration with Michigan utility DTE Energy—a connection made through DSPL showcase opportunities.
really there [with the technology].”
Accessing resources and ecosystem integration. The DSPL has supported Joule Labs to access technology and financial resources, as well as connections to potential clients and users across the metro-Detroit start-up ecosystem. Shortly after first arriving in Michigan, Joule Labs was able to successfully demonstrate their Mobee charging solution at the Detroit Auto Show. With support from the DSPL, Joule Labs plans to continue to expand their presence and deploy their solutions in Michigan.
DETROIT ECOSYSTEM ENGAGEMENT: A TIMELINE OF KEY SUCCESSES IN JOULE LABS INNOVATION JOURNEY
— NINO VIDOVIC
JOULE LABS CEO AND FOUNDER