Gravity, the electric vehicle fleet and infrastructure start-up, will open Manhattan’s first and only True Fast Charging site for electric vehicles this fall at 401 West 42nd Street. Gravity plans to rapidly scale the model with dozens of public parking garages across the city including a portfolio of new designs that can adapt to even the most space-constrained site, the company said.
The first Midtown site represents a major breakthrough for the EV charging industry, which has struggled to deliver a full range of charging options to the e-driver — including fast charging in minutes — in space-constrained indoor settings most common in city environments, the company said.
The 29-space, street-level site located at Manhattan Plaza in Midtown, under license from Related Companies, with its own dedicated entrance on 42nd street, will provide charging options for every use case — from fast-charging in minutes to overnight charging for long-term parkers. Deploying state-of-the-art innovation in charging hardware, cables, cable management, authentication and payment processing, as well as uniform user-friendly user interfaces, Gravity said it will provide a flexible, convenient and seamless experience to EV drivers which they plan to replicate at dozens of sites across the five boroughs.
The 29-space parking facility will accommodate the three charging use cases Gravity has identified: True Fast Charging that uses equipment capable of up to 180Kw of power or greater, roughly equivalent to the speed and ease of outdoor V3 Tesla superchargers; Intermediate Charging, which charges in one to three hours using 24-30Kw equipment, convenient for drivers parking while they go to restaurants, theaters, museums and meetings and Slow Charging, which charges overnight or in six to eight hours using 11Kw equipment, convenient for residents using overnight or long-term parking, or full day-time parking.
“This is a technological leap for big cities like New York that have struggled to meet demand for charging in space-constrained indoor garages. We’re opening the first True Fast Charging in Manhattan, and now we are poised to rapidly scale our solution across New York City and beyond,” said Moshe Cohen, founder and CEO of Gravity. “For every EV driver who has experienced false advertising, lackluster charging speeds or inaccessible locations, we’re here to revolutionize your experience. Tesla has set the bar with its V3 Superchargers. Gravity aims to surpass that experience for all EVs, and to bring it to the heart of densely populated cities.”
Located adjacent to the Lincoln Tunnel, this first facility will offer fast, convenient charging for EV fleets and private electric vehicles in the heart of Midtown while also serving as a charging hub for Gravity’s new fleet of all-electric yellow taxis. This marks the first in a series of new partnerships with major commercial and residential owners. Gravity has surveyed hundreds of parking garages across New York City, analyzed their space and power constraints, and developed a portfolio of design solutions to retrofit them for EV charging.
