- Neolix and TELD launched the world’s first automated charging hub for autonomous vehicles in Qingdao.
- The companies plan to deploy 300 Tide-Islands and 3,000 Relay-Islands across China within three years.
Neolix and TELD have jointly launched Tide-Island No. 1 in Qingdao, China, marking the debut of what the companies describe as the world’s first automated charging and operations hub designed specifically for autonomous vehicles. The facility was officially opened on May 9 in Qingdao, Shandong, and represents a major step toward fully automated charging and operational infrastructure for unmanned mobility solutions.
The Tide-Island facility integrates several advanced technologies into a single operational ecosystem. The infrastructure combines a stereo garage system, automated parking robots, and 100 automated charging robots to enable autonomous parking, charging, intelligent maintenance, and virtual power plant operations without the need for human intervention. The companies stated that the system has been developed to support high-efficiency operations for autonomous vehicle fleets while improving charging turnaround time and operational management.
Automated Charging and Operations Capabilities
According to the companies, the new infrastructure model will work alongside existing public charging networks to expand autonomous mobility services. Around 70,000 existing TELD public charging stations are expected to be upgraded or transformed into Relay-Islands that will complement the Tide-Island ecosystem. A single Tide-Island combined with 10 Relay-Islands will reportedly support the simultaneous operation of approximately 1,200 to 1,500 autonomous vehicles while enabling the charging of nearly 90 vehicles within one hour.
The companies also introduced an ambitious deployment roadmap aimed at scaling the infrastructure network rapidly across domestic and international markets. Under the newly announced strategy, the partners intend to enter 100 cities in China and establish 300 Tide-Islands along with 3,000 Relay-Islands over the next three years. The initiative additionally includes plans to deploy 50,000 automated charging robots and provide operational support for approximately 300,000 autonomous vehicles.
Neolix and TELD Global Expansion Targets
| Expansion Category | Target |
|---|---|
| Chinese Cities Coverage | 100 Cities |
| Tide-Islands Planned | 300 |
| Relay-Islands Planned | 3,000 |
| Automated Charging Robots | 50,000 |
| Autonomous Vehicles Supported | 300,000 |
For international markets outside China, the partners revealed plans to establish 30 Tide-Islands across 10 cities. In parallel with the infrastructure announcement, the two companies also inaugurated a joint venture focused on autonomous vehicle operations. The collaboration is expected to accelerate the commercialization and operational management of autonomous mobility services by integrating charging infrastructure with vehicle fleet operations.
Tide-Islands are intended to function as an open infrastructure platform for the broader autonomous mobility industry. The companies confirmed that unmanned delivery vehicles from different brands will be able to access the facilities as long as they comply with the required protocol standards. This interoperability approach is expected to support broader adoption of autonomous delivery systems and reduce infrastructure fragmentation across the industry.
Looking ahead, the application scope of Tide-Islands is expected to expand beyond unmanned delivery vehicles to include Level 4 autonomous passenger vehicles. The long-term objective is to transform the infrastructure into a universal automated charging and operational network capable of supporting the future ecosystem of autonomous driving and smart mobility services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tide-Island No. 1 launched by Neolix and TELD?
Tide-Island No. 1 is an automated charging and operations hub developed for autonomous vehicles in Qingdao, China. The facility combines automated parking robots, charging robots, intelligent maintenance systems, and virtual power plant functions into one integrated platform. It is designed to support fully unmanned operations without human involvement and aims to improve efficiency for autonomous delivery and mobility fleets. The infrastructure is also intended to support future Level 4 autonomous passenger vehicle applications.
How many autonomous vehicles can the Tide-Island ecosystem support?
According to Neolix and TELD, one Tide-Island integrated with 10 Relay-Islands can support the simultaneous operation of approximately 1,200 to 1,500 autonomous vehicles. The system can also charge nearly 90 autonomous vehicles within one hour using automated charging robots. The companies plan to expand the network significantly over the next three years by deploying hundreds of Tide-Islands and thousands of Relay-Islands across multiple cities in China and international markets.
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