#45: Revel’s first west coast charging station

Revel partners with PG&E, better charging in cold weather, and Norway's disappearing gas stations

Author

Steve Taylor
April 12, 2025

The 3 big stories:

  • Revel partners with PG&E for urban charging build-outs.

  • University of Michigan unlocks 500% faster charging in freezing temperatures. 

  • Norway continues rapid EV transition by replacing gas pumps with chargers. 

Plus, featured jobs and news.

Enjoy,

–Steve

Current EVents

EV Industry Updates

Revel has opened its first West Coast charging station in San Francisco's Mission District. 

The new station features 12 high-speed chargers powered by 1.3 megawatts – roughly a quarter of the energy used by the city’s tallest skyscraper.

The company is accelerating its Bay Area rollout, with plans for seven additional sites offering 125 fast-charging plugs. It’s an ambitious move in a state where permitting and utility delays are the norm.

Two upcoming stations – one in Oakland and another near San Francisco International Airport – will pilot PG&E’s “flexible service connection” program. The initiative enables stations to connect to the grid faster by agreeing to scale back power use during peak demand periods, typically just a few hours per year.

With this model, Revel is able to accelerate deployment of chargers without relying on costly grid upgrades and PG&E can expand EV infrastructure in a way that eases grid strain.

It’s a promising blueprint for urban EV adoption especially in cities like San Francisco, where nearly 70% of residents live in multi-unit buildings with limited access to home charging.

Steve's Take

Revel’s partnership with PG&E is a smart move to ease grid constraints while scaling EV infrastructure in dense cities.

The flexible connection model fixes a major inefficiency – grid connections are typically sized for rare peak demand, delaying charger deployment in already strained urban cores. Revel’s approach of limiting power use during peak hours enables faster connections without costly upgrades.

This partnership marks a shift in strategy. Charging providers are evolving from hardware installers to grid-integrated operators, aligning deployment with real-world utility capacity.

As EV adoption grows – specifically among city dwellers without access to home charging – these utility partnerships will become increasingly important. The real power of this model lies in its pragmatism: allowing for near-term progress while setting the stage for long-term upgrades.

This is the kind of practical innovation this industry needs to keep infrastructure growth on pace with EV demand.

–Steve

Emerging EV Tech

A University of Michigan team has developed EV battery tech that charges 500% faster in freezing temps as low as 14°F (-10°C).

The innovation combines:

  • Laser-drilled microchannels in the anode, and

  • An ultra-thin glassy coating that prevents lithium plating—a major issue in cold-weather charging.

The results: Batteries retain 97% capacity after 100 fast-charging cycles in subfreezing conditions.

“This could be adopted without major factory changes,” said Prof. Neil Dasgupta.

Why it matters: Charging in winter can take over an hour – this tech could cut that time dramatically, closing the cold-weather gap.

Patent pending. Commercialization is already underway through Arbor Battery Innovations, which licensed the channel tech.

Steve's Take:

The University of Michigan’s fast-charging solution tackles one of EV adoption’s biggest hurdles – poor performance in cold weather.

What sets this solution apart is its manufacturing compatibility. Battery makers wouldn’t need to retool entire production lines – these enhancements can be integrated into existing processes, speeding up commercialization.

While scaling breakthroughs in the lab won’t be easy, success could dramatically increase EV reliability in all seasons and move the industry one step closer to mass adoption.

–Steve

EVs Overseas

Norway’s fuel retailers are rapidly retooling for an all-electric future – removing gas pumps to install EV chargers as battery-powered vehicles approach 50% of the fleet in some regions.

At Uno-X Furuset, a highway stop outside Oslo, one of four gas dispensers has already been pulled, the cement pad now prepped for a fast charger. Similar transitions are underway at Circle K and St1, Norway’s largest and third-largest fuel station owners.

“We’re building a bridge from the traditional gasoline and diesel business,” said Ole Johannes Tonnessen, COO of Uno-X Mobility Norway.

The data tells the story:

  • Gasoline sales are down two-thirds from a decade ago.

  • Road-diesel dropped 6% in 2023 alone.

  • One in ten of Norway’s 2,000 stations now offer EV charging.

The shift is gaining speed:

  • Uno-X has removed 30+ pumps.

  • Circle K has retrofitted chargers at eight locations.

  • St1 will open its first charger-only station in central Oslo next month.

What was once a slow transition is now an accelerated phase-out positioning Norway as a global model for fueling infrastructure in an EV-first world.

Steve's Take:

Norway offers a compelling preview of what fuel retailers around the world will soon face – adapt to the EV era or become obsolete.

What makes Norway’s approach instructive is the mindset. Companies like Uno-X aren’t treating EV charging as a side bet or regulatory checkbox. They’re making it central to their business model – removing pumps, not just adding chargers to the margins.

The contrast with the U.S. is significant. While Norwegian stations are actively reconfiguring for an electric future, most U.S. retailers remain in pilot mode, placing chargers in out-of-the-way spots or treating them as afterthoughts.

That hesitation could prove costly in the U.S.. As EV adoption rises, the retailers that lead will own the future. Norway’s fuel retailers are showing what leadership looks like.

–Steve 

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⚡️Steve and Rob

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