Gravity, the EV infrastructure startup that opened the fastest charging site in America, has released a new universal on-street mounting and cable system, dubbed “DEAP Trees,” for its 200- and 500-kW Distributed Energy Access Points (DEAPs).
Given the scale of existing and expected public curbside charging programs — encompassing tens of thousands of parking spaces — Gravity is working to develop a network of on-street DEAP charging more expansive than Tesla’s current Supercharger network.
Gravity’s engineers, in collaboration with the global design firm Rangr Studio, took up the challenge of solving all the frictions in curbside EV charging. Each Gravity universal DEAP Tree has a hinged swing arm holding a cable that pivots down when charging begins, allowing it to reach the port of every make and model. When charging is completed, the arm raises automatically and the EV connector seamlessly latches back onto the pole and out of sight.
This device is operable with minimal effort and avoids the long cables (or requirement for a user-supplied cable) common to other systems—preventing tripping hazards, obstacles to accessibility and potential vandalism.
DEAP Trees require no utility upgrades to bring high-speed charging to the curbside capable of providing 200 miles of range in either 13 minutes (200 kW) or five minutes (500 kW), accommodating multiple charging sessions per space each hour. This is orders of magnitude faster than the 8-10 hours required for Level 2 curbside chargers, like those currently deployed in cities like New York through early pilot programs and several times the capacity of Tesla’s common 72kW or 150kW Superchargers.
“Right now, American cities are choosing the curbside charging that drivers will use for decades to come. Unfortunately, many are looking to obsolete overnight Level 2 charging with cables that clutter sidewalks and that don’t fit the needs of urban EV drivers. EV drivers require and deserve so much better,” said Moshe Cohen, founder and CEO of Gravity. “We took up the challenge of making every aspect of the on-street charging experience faster and better and can’t wait to deploy our new DEAP Trees by the thousands.”
Key features of Gravity‘s Articulated DEAP Trees:
- Developed for Gravity’s 200- and 500-kW DEAPs capable of fully charging an EV in five to 13 minutes. All systems deliver 1000 V.
- Retractor-less cable management capable of reaching charging ports on any EV make or model
- Bidirectional-ready, providing for a host of grid resiliency benefits and new revenue streams for cities
- No tripping hazards, designed to prevent vandalism or damage from misuse
- Minimal visual profile that will not clutter streets
- Suitable for both metered and residential parking areas
- Designed to accommodate other smart city technologies, such as traffic safety cameras, LED street and curbside lighting, 5G, public Wi-Fi, air-quality sensors, and integrated audio/video for public communication
Filed Under: Charging, Technology News