How flywheel technology can bring public charging up to speed

Opinion

Ilan Ben-David, Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer, ZOOZ Power

How flywheel power boosters can help accelerate the EV fast-charger roll-out

The race to roll out public electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers is underway but deployment is lagging behind the rapid growth in demand.

Many countries have set ambitious targets for the adoption of electric vehicles to help them meet their climate goals.

However, the lack of fast-charging infrastructure is one of the major barriers to the mass adoption of electric vehicles. This is especially the case in cities and on major highways where drivers need access to fast-charging stations.

Flywheel technology can accelerate the roll-out of public charging networks and help to break down the barriers to EV adoption.

Flywheels are energy storage devices that can be used to briefly store large amounts of energy. They consist of a heavy rotor that spins at high speed in a vacuum chamber. When energy is needed, the rotor is slowed down, releasing the stored energy.

Flywheels can be used to power electric vehicles, but they are also well-suited for use in public charging stations.

Flywheels can provide a number of benefits for public charging networks:

• Fast charging: Flywheels can charge EVs much faster than traditional chargers. This is because flywheels can provide high bursts of power, which is necessary for fast charging.
• Smaller footprint: Flywheel chargers are considerably smaller than traditional chargers, due to their higher power density. This makes them ideal for use in urban areas where space is at a premium.
• Lower cost: Flywheel chargers are less expensive to manufacture and install than traditional chargers. This is because flywheels are made from less expensive materials and they require less maintenance.

Flywheel technology is still in its early stages of development, but it has the potential to revolutionize the public charging landscape.

Flywheel chargers are an important part of the solution to the challenge of mass EV adoption.