Automatic Charging
With the optional automatic charger, the J1600 keeps itself charged: it drives to the station, positions itself at the charger, and a charging interface extends to the charging plates on the vehicle. Idle minutes become charge — opportunity charging without anyone plugging in a cable.
How automatic charging works
- The robot drives to the charging station and positions itself in front of the charger.
- The charging interface extends from the station to the vehicle's charging plates.
- Charging runs while the robot is not busy; the vehicle is available for work again when needed.
Automatic charging is an advanced automation capability, alongside come-to-me, VDA 5050 fleet management, and API integrations. When the automatic charger is purchased with the installation and commissioning package, its setup is part of on-site Day 1.
The charging-current relay is a certified safety function rated Performance Level b — see how J1600 safety works.
Manual charging
Without the automatic station, charging works like any electric pallet jack: plug in the manual charger during a break or whenever the machine is idle — before lunch, between waves, at shift end. Combining a manual charger with a saved parking spot near it keeps the routine simple — see Deliver and Park.
Battery, drain, and charge rates
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Battery | 24 V, 200 Ah lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) |
| Charging rate | approx. 47 percentage points per hour |
| Drain, driving fully loaded | approx. 13% per hour |
| Drain, driving unloaded | approx. 12% per hour |
| Drain, standby | approx. 2% per hour |
Runtime exceeds eight hours in a typical duty cycle. The drain rates imply roughly 7.7 hours of continuous fully loaded driving or 8.3 hours unloaded, but these are calculated figures — not guaranteed runtimes — before allowing for standby, lifting, duty cycle, battery reserve, and operating conditions. For a single-shift operation, a break-time plug-in or an opportunity-charging station comfortably covers the day.
Fitting charging into task flows
- End a run at the charger with Deliver and Park or as the final leg of an A-to-B-to-C task.
- A waiting robot (Deliver and Wait) burns only ~2% per hour, so short waits rarely need a charge stop.
- Call the robot off the charger when work resumes with Come-to-Me.
Charger list prices
| Item | End-user list price (2026) |
|---|---|
| Manual charger | €3,600 |
| Automatic charger | €8,400 |
Full electrical specifications: J1600 technical specifications. For charger questions, see the product and capabilities FAQ.