Convenience retailer Arko Corp. is taking steps to overcome the limits of power grids for electric-vehicle chargers with its installation of a Zooz Power Booster at a Scotchman convenience store in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
The project is the first installation of a power booster in the United States.
“We are proud to have the first commercially operational site in North America and demonstrate our innovative power booster, the Zoozter-100, enabling ultra-fast charging of electric vehicles, while overcoming the grid’s power-limitations,” said Boaz Weizer, Zooz Power’s chief executive officer. “This is a significant milestone as we accelerate our penetration into the U.S. market.”
- Arko Corp’s GPM Investments ranks No. 6 on CSP’s 2023 Top 202 list of the largest c-store chains in the country.
The Zoozter-100 is a kinetic, flywheel-based power booster launched as part of a joint pilot with Arko Corp. and in cooperation with ABM, a leader in e-mobility design, installation and maintenance solutions, according to a press release.
Zooz Power and its partners successfully completed the Site Acceptance Tests (SAT) on Sept. 7, clearing the way for a “run-in period” of several weeks. During this period, the charging station is being operated commercially, allowing fast-charging services to owners of electric vehicles visiting the site while the retailer and its partners monitor the site, ensuring proper operation of the charging station.
Zooz Power intends to use the site for demonstrations of the charging station, where the company will presenting the Zoozter-100 as a tool to enable ultra-fast charging even in locations where the grid is power-constrained, the company said.
In the coming years, the U.S. mobility market is expected to experience an accelerated adoption of electric vehicles, Zooz Power said, supported by the tailwind of the federal government plans to push forward the transition to electric vehicles and enhance the establishment of widespread charging infrastructure for EVs.
Zooz Power Ltd. is a provider of flywheel-based power-boosting solutions enabling ultra-green, ultra-fast electric vehicle charging anywhere. Based in Israel, the company is committed to eliminating range anxiety and helping to accelerate the mass adoption of electric vehicles around the world, it said.
Based in Richmond, Virginia, Arko Corp. owns and operates numerous c-store brands, including Fas Mart, Shore Stop, Scotchman, BreadBox, Young’s, Li’l Cricket, Next Door Store, Village Pantry, Apple Market, Jiffi Stop, Admiral, Roadrunner Markets, Jiffy Food Marts, E-Z Mart, 1 Stop, TownStar, ExpressStop and Handy Mart, among others.
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