Suspended charging cable system for electric vehicles

A system comprising:

• a charging station configured to output a supply of electrical power;
• a cable suspension post having a support post and a suspension arm, the suspension arm being suspended away from the support post, at least a suspended end of the suspension arm being rotatably displaceable relative to at least one of the support post and another portion of the suspension arm;
• a charging cable electrically coupled to the charging station, at least a portion of the charging cable being suspended from the suspended end of the suspension arm;
• and
• a charging connector suspended from the suspension arm only by the suspended portion of the charging cable, the charging connector being electrically coupled to the charging cable.

A charging system for automatic alignment with, and electrical coupling to, a connector of an electric vehicle, the system comprising:

• a charging station configured to output a supply of electrical power;
• a cable suspension post having a support post and a suspension arm, the suspension arm being suspended away from the support post;
• a charging cable electrically coupled to the charging station, at least a portion of the charging cable being downwardly suspended from the suspension arm;
• and
• a connection device comprising a charging connector, a recognition system, a controller, and a plurality of connection actuators, the charging connector being electrically and mechanically coupled to an end of the suspended portion of the charging cable, the recognition system configured to detect a location of one or more position indicators on at least a portion of the electric vehicle, the controller configured to receive, from the recognition system, information regarding the location of the one or more position indicators and to issue at least an actuation signal to one or more of the plurality of connection actuators to displace the charging connector into alignment, and/or engagement, with the connector of the electric vehicle.