FreeWire first battery-integrated EV Charger achieves UL Certification
FreeWire Technologies has announced that Boost Charger™ is the first battery-integrated ultrafast charging system to achieve UL certification. Boost Charger is the future of electric vehicle (EV) charging technology – a next-generation charger that boosts power at the grid edge instead of relying on utility upgrades.
It uses existing low-voltage power coupled with an integrated battery buffer to enable ultrafast charging speeds while reducing installation costs & complexity by an order of magnitude. By eliminating grid upgrades, Boost Charger also makes ultrafast charging feasible at ten times as many locations as compared to traditional chargers.
Boost Charger is the first technology of its kind to be UL certified under both EV charging standards and energy storage standards. FreeWire’s proprietary lithium-ion battery pack is certified to UL 1973, and the entire system is certified to UL 2202, UL 2231-1, UL 2231-2, and UL 991. This suite of UL certifications ensures that all FreeWire products, which are manufactured at their corporate headquarters in San Leandro, California, have undergone extensive third-party testing & validation and that the company’s supply chain and manufacturing processes have met rigorous quality standards.
“FreeWire is rethinking the relationship with the grid. By leveraging our experience with flexible energy storage platforms, we’re providing high power at a low cost, wherever it’s needed,” said Arcady Sosinov, CEO and founder of FreeWire Technologies. “Today, very few locations use storage to enhance the grid; in the near future, most sites will use storage to reduce costs and provide resiliency. These UL certifications are major milestones that guarantee safe, high-performance operation and expansion of this innovative product.”
Battery-integrated charging technology addresses limitations in the current electric grid, enabling rapid expansion of necessary charging infrastructure to drive EV growth. Boost Charger is uniquely compatible with both three-phase and split-phase inputs, using low-voltage infrastructure that is readily available at most commercial locations. The design allows sites, previously restricted by that low-voltage infrastructure, to provide premium and ultrafast EV charging in public charging, workplace, or fleet applications.
“Boost Charger offers a step-change in charging solutions, enabling cities like Los Angeles to deploy EV charging on every street corner,” said Matt Petersen, CEO of Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI). “We are proud to have FreeWire as a LACI alumnus providing innovations to transform the transportation market.”
Boost Charger has been deployed in California and will expand to additional locations this year and throughout 2021. FreeWire’s lead investors include BP Ventures, ABB Technology Ventures, and Energy Innovation Capital. FreeWire joined LACI in 2015.
