Gravity announced a massive US expansion that will bring 500 kilowatts piles capable of five-minute EV fast charging to eight locations around the Los Angeles metropolitan area.
Gravity is a NY-based fast-charging startup focused on sustainable fleets and the infrastructure to operate them efficiently.
In 2021, the company began rolling out a fleet of all-electric Mustang Mach-E yellow cabs around New York City while partnering with building owners and parking operators to implement EV charging infrastructure to support individual drivers and large fleets.
In October 2023, Gravity released a full suite of 500 kilowatts chargers, some of the fastest we had seen at the time.
That technology caught the eye of Google Ventures (GV), which led to a successful seed funding round for an undisclosed amount a month later.
By March 2024, the startup opened a new “Gravity Charging Center” complete with 24 500 kilowatts Distributed Energy Access Points (DEAPs), hailing the chargers as the fastest in the United States.
The following May, Gravity announced it had adapted its DEAP EV chargers into “trees” that can be easily installed curbside to make charging even faster and more convenient for city drivers.
At the time, the company also boldly stated a goal to overtake Tesla as the largest fast-charging network in the US.
Gravity to bring 5-minute EV charging to Angelenos
Each location will feature approximately 12 500 kilowatts DEAPs that, according to the startup, can deliver rates twice as fast as Tesla Superchargers (currently topping out at 350 kilowatts).
As such, Gravity is promising five-minute EV charging sessions, although no US model on the road today can handle 500 kilowatts fast charging.
Still, many BEVs on 800V platforms will be able to take advantage of the higher charge rates, resulting in less time at the station.
Moshe Cohen, Gravity Inc. founder and CEO, says: “These new sites are going to be a game-changer for Los Angelenos. They will be far faster and more reliable than anything drivers and fleet operators have experienced, with autonomous vehicle engineering and vehicle-to-grid equipment that will make them the most advanced sites in the nation.”
“Now that we’ve validated the superior reliability and performance of our technology, we are focused on blanketing several of the country’s most important urban markets–and we are delighted to begin our LA expansion,” he adds.
In addition to the 500 kilowatts DEAPs, Gravity said each location will be erected to be autonomous-ready.
It also intends to pilot hands-free charging technology with specific lanes, sensors, and cable-less tech.
All sites will be bidirectional and vehicle-to-grid (V2G), meaning Gravity can flush excess energy back to the local grid in Los Angeles during peak hours or blackouts, pending approval and compliance from the local energy companies, of course.
The eight planned sites where Gravity hopes to deliver five-minute EV charging have all been designed by architectural firm Rangr Studio (who worked with the startup in NY) and will be implemented at the following areas:
- Brentwood
- East Pasadena
- Huntington Beach
- Long Beach
- Manhattan Beach
- North Hills
- Pacific Palisades
- Thousand Oaks
Gravity said the first Los Angeles charging stations will open sometime in 2025.
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