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Gulplug: Revolutionizing the Charging Industry with Altair's Startup Program
Technology Category
- Other - Battery
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Device Management Platforms
Applicable Industries
- Automotive
- Electronics
Applicable Functions
- Product Research & Development
Use Cases
- Autonomous Transport Systems
- Transportation Simulation
Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
Gulplug, a French startup, was faced with the challenge of creating an innovative, automatically self-plugging, magnetic-based charging solution for electric vehicles. As a spin-off of Schneider Electric Group, Gulplug aimed to revolutionize plug and charging technology used in today's electric and hybrid vehicles. However, as a startup, they had limited funds and spending a large portion of their budget on software was not feasible. Furthermore, the company was also looking for simulation tools to predict and improve the performance of their system by creating and analyzing virtual models. The challenge was not only to develop a new charging solution but also to do so in a cost-effective manner without compromising on the quality and efficiency of the product.
About The Customer
Gulplug is a French startup located in Grenoble, France. Founded in 2014 as a spin-off of Schneider Electric Group, Gulplug is a pioneer in the e-mobility industry. The company is dedicated to revolutionizing plug and charging technology used in electric and hybrid vehicles. Gulplug addresses two different markets – cleantech business and clean mobility. For the cleantech business, the company offers energy efficiency by supporting factories and plants with a monitoring device to monitor, analyze, and reduce energy consumption with wireless and battery-less, self-powered energy sensors. For clean mobility, Gulplug provides a new way to connect electric vehicles to electricity via an automatic, self-plugging conductive charging system.
The Solution
Altair's startup program provided the solution to Gulplug's challenge. The program offered access to a range of simulation, IoT, and HPC solutions at an affordable price. Gulplug used Altair Flux™, a part of the Altair startup program, to model and create their innovative charging solution. The Selfplug® solution developed by Gulplug comprises a ground connector of about 50 cm in diameter with a vehicle plug fitted into the vehicle. The plug has to be placed right at the center of the ground unit. Gulplug developed an electromagnetic solution and used a permanent magnet to guide and fix the plug in the center of the device. Flux was used to model all magnetic issues, helping the engineers to define the sizes and placement of the coils used inside the device which are required to create the electromagnetic force to guide the plug.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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