Google-backed EV charging startup Gravity Mobility opens fastest public chargers in the US
Gravity Mobility, a New York-based startup specializing in EV infrastructure, has opened a new public charging station being touted as the fastest in the US. With the ability to replenish up to 200 miles of range in a mere five minutes of charging, Gravity Mobility’s advanced technology will help get drivers back on roads more quickly, bringing the segment closer to time parity with traditional gas station visits.
Gravity Mobility is an EV startup focused on sustainable fleets and the infrastructure required to operate them. The New York-based strategy combines best-in-class mobility equipment and integrates software and customer interfaces to support drivers and passengers.
We first covered the startup in 2021 when it began rolling out a fleet of all-electric Mustang Mach-E yellow cabs around New York City. In addition to its EV taxis, Gravity partners with building owners and parking operators to implement electric vehicle charging infrastructure to support individual drivers and large EV fleets.
At the time, we learned that Gravity was planning to open what it called the “only true fast-charging site in Manhattan” to support its new all-electric yellow taxi fleet. By October 2023, Gravity released a full suite of 500kW EV chargers, easily the fastest capabilities we’ve seen to date.
This technology caught the eye of Google Ventures (GV), who led a successful seed funding round for an undisclosed amount last November. With funds secured, Gravity has been able to roll out dozens of UL-Listed EV chargers in the US, providing the fastest speeds to the public starting today.
Gravity’s brings the fastest EV charger to drivers in NYC
Following an event held in Midtown Manhattan this morning, Gravity Mobility has opened up access to 24 500kW EV charger systems – hailing them as the fastest in the United States. Beginning today, fleet and commercial operators and EV owners can visit the Gravity Charging Center and test the technology for themselves.
Gravity Mobility states the new charging center exists in a parking garage through a partnership with Related Companies, in which the former mounted its ceiling-mounted 500kW Distributed Energy Access Points (DEAPs) within the footprint of existing parking spaces. Furthermore, Gravity says no utility upgrades were made to the building or surrounding grid, providing working evidence that installations are easily replicable at any parking site in the US.
That’s the plan, too. Gravity says it plans to accelerate EV adoption and the green transition of the electrical grid with charger equipment, which is the fastest. Faster than any competitor, including Tesla. Gravity CEO Moshe Cohen elaborated to Reuters:
If you look at how many (Tesla) Superchargers are added per year, we can add that many or more to grow our network. There’s nothing blocking that.
Gravity says its 500kW EV chargers, which are about the size of a carry-on suitcase, can deliver up to 2,400 miles of range in a single hour or up to 200 miles in five minutes. While those charger speeds are the fastest in the US, most EVs can’t come close to reaching a 500kW rate while charging.
That said, that much power and charging speed can equate to faster rates for all, ensuring each vehicle achieves its maximum rate. This is also encouraging technology for the future, as Gravity’s chargers will be able to continue delivering the fastest rates as EV platforms advance to handle higher speed caps.
Looking ahead, Gravity hopes to deploy thousands more fast chargers at new sites around the US each year, but will require more funding to do so. Cohen said the company will continue fundraising efforts, exploring “quite of bit of interest” it has already received from potential suitors to expand nationally as soon as possible.
The Gravity Charging Center is located at 401-471 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036. If you’re in the area, visit them and report back!
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A view of offshore oil and gas platform Esther in the Pacific Ocean on January 5, 2025 in Seal Beach, California.
Mario Tama | Getty Images
Oil prices jumped on Friday as the U.S. Treasury Department announced sweeping sanctions against Russia’s oil industry.
Brent gained $1.92, or 2.5%, to $78.84 per barrel by 11:12 a.m. ET, while U.S. crude oil advanced $1.89, or 2.56%, to $75.81 per barrel. Brent broke $80 per barrel for the first time since October earlier in day, hitting a session high of $80.75.
The sanctions target Russian oil companies Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas and their subsidiaries, more than 180 tankers, and more than a dozen Russian energy officials and executives. The sanctioned executives include Gazprom Neft CEO Aleksandr Valeryevich Dyukov.
The sanctioned vessels are mostly oil tankers that are part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” that has dodged existing sanctions on the country’s energy exports, according to the Treasury Department.
“The United States is taking sweeping action against Russia’s key source of revenue for funding its brutal and illegal war against Ukraine,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.
Brent crude futures, 1 year
“With today’s actions, we are ratcheting up the sanctions risk associated with Russia’s oil trade, including shipping and financial facilitation in support of Russia’s oil exports,” Yellen said.
The perception in the oil market is Indian and Chinese refiners that have imported Russian oil will have to scramble for barrels from the Middle East, said Bob Yawger, executive director of energy futures at Mizuho Securities, in a note to clients Friday.
The Biden administration has sought to ratchet up pressure on Russia and dispense aid to Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
“The Biden administration opted for more robust energy sanctions, which caught the oil market especially complacent about sanctions risks,” said Bob McNally, president of Rapidan Energy Group.
“Therefore, we expect today’s material risk premium in Brent to stick pending signals from the Trump team as to whether they will continue these sanctions,” McNally said.
Hydrostor’s GEM A-CAES has received a conditional loan guarantee of up to $1.76 billion from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to build the Willow Rock Energy Storage Center, a cutting-edge compressed air energy storage (CAES) system, in Eastern Kern County, California.
If everything goes as planned, Willow Rock will bring 500 megawatts (MW) and 4,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of long-duration energy storage (LDES) to the southern California power grid.
This system will lower energy costs, improve grid reliability during peak demand, and expand the rollout of renewable energy into the grid. Here’s how it works and why it’s unique.
How compressed air energy storage works
CAES technology is all about storing energy for later use, especially when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing. Here’s how it works:
- Storing energy: The system takes surplus energy (often from renewable sources like solar or wind) and uses it to compress air, which is stored in underground caverns.
- Releasing energy: When the grid needs power, the compressed air is released, passing through a turbine to generate electricity. Willow Rock will be able to dispatch stored energy at full power for over eight-hour periods.
Unlike conventional batteries, CAES can scale up based on the size of the storage cavern and doesn’t rely on scarce critical materials. It’s durable, too –systems like Willow Rock are designed to last over 50 years.
Why advanced CAES is different
Traditional CAES systems face two big challenges: wasted heat and inconsistent power output. Willow Rock’s advanced compressed air energy storage system (A-CAES) technology solves these problems:
- Thermal energy capture: Conventional CAES loses around 50% of energy during the air compression process. Willow Rock pairs a proprietary thermal storage system with this process, so it captures, stores, and reuses heat from the compression cycle.
- Constant Pressure: Traditional systems lose efficiency as underground air pressure drops. Willow Rock maintains consistent pressure by using water from an above-ground reservoir. As a bonus, the facility will be a net producer of fresh water, as water condensed during the compression process will be captured and reused.
This innovative design means A-CAES systems can be installed in a greater variety of underground conditions – an estimated 80% of US geology could support similar systems, opening the door for wide deployment.
Willow Rock will create up to 700 construction jobs at its peak, and 40 full-time operations roles will follow. These positions require skills similar to those used in the oil and gas industry, making it a natural fit for Kern County, a region with roots in fossil fuel production.
GEM A-CAES is a subsidiary of Hydrostor USA Holdings, a subsidiary of Hydrostor of Canada.
Read more: The world’s highest solar + storage project is online in Tibet
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Chinese EV automaker Build Your Dreams (BYD) has unveiled its ATTO 2 compact SUV to the European public. The launch, which took place at the Brussels Motor Show, kicks off BYD’s next EV entry into European and UK markets. The BYD ATTO 2 is smaller and more affordable than its SUV siblings, with a decent range to boot, perfect for European roads.
The ATTO 2 is a rebranded version of the Chinese EV automaker BYD’s Yuan Up – an ultra-affordable compact SUV that debuted in China in February 2024. BYD may not be bringing “Yuan” branded EVs over to new markets in Europe, but that lineup continues to grow each month.
BYD currently sells four all-electric models in the UK and seven in Europe, including the ATTO 3 SUV. Today, BYD debuted a rebranded version of the Yuan Up called the ATTO 2, which will go on sale to customers in the UK and Europe next month.
BYD unveils ATTO 2 in Brussels, sales begin in February
The Brussels Motor Show recently kicked off as the first major automotive expo in Europe in 2025, and BYD showed up with a new affordable BEV option to complement the ATTO 3. Per BYD executive vice president Stella Li:
We’re excited to start 2025 with another important model for our plans in Europe. The B-segment SUV class is incredibly popular here, and with the ATTO 2, we have an agile and versatile offering that will appeal to that large potential customer base. It takes all of BYD’s strengths in batteries, electric motors and Cell-to-Body construction and combines them in a compact package that brings new intelligent technologies to the urban SUV class.
The ATTO 2 is 4,310mm long, 1,830mm wide, and 1,675mm tall—145mm shorter and 45mm slimmer than its ATTO 3 sibling. Despite its compact size, the ATTO 2 offers up to 1,430 liters of cargo capacity with its rear seat down.
The ATTO 2 also sits atop BYD’s e-Platform 3.0, the first of the brand’s compact SUVs to utilize Cell-to-Body (CTB) construction, which integrates the battery completely into the vehicle chassis—this design results in optimized space and overall increased vehicle rigidity.
Speaking of batteries, the EU and UK customers who opt for an ATTO 2 can experience BYD’s proprietary Blade Batteries, which integrates LFP cells directly instead of fitting them into multiple modules. BYD says customers can choose between two battery sizes in their ATTO 2 order. At launch, a standard range edition will utilize a 45.1 kWh Blade Battery, delivering a (WLTP) 312 km (194 miles) range.
However, BYD said a larger-battery version of the ATTO 2 will arrive in the coming months and offer drivers greater range. The automaker is not yet sharing individual pricing for the ATTO 2 in the UK or Europe. Still, a representative for the company said the compact SUV is expected to land between the BYD Dolphin and ATTO 3 BEVs, which in the UK cost 26,140 GBP ($32,157) and 37,140 GBP ($45,689) respectively.
ATTO 2 sales are expected to begin in February.
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