Race Ready: Engineering a Net Zero Future

At Petalite, we are always in a ‘race ready’ mindset, ready to help CPOs deliver infrastructure that meets the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s electric vehicle (EV) drivers. The engineering profession has a vital role to play in delivering reliable and scalable technology that accelerates the world’s transition to a net-zero future, and we’re excited about our role in achieving this goal.

Our engineering team have extensive experience of working under pressure, with many of them coming from an F1 motorsports background. They are taking this motorsport mindset and approach, supported by rich automotive expertise, to tackle the issue of EV adoption head on – addressing the problems that need to be solved and working together to contribute to something that will ultimately benefit the planet.

Motorsports could be described as disparate from the general automotive industry, yet Formula 1, and in particular Formula E, both play into Petalite’s culture and have wider positive implications for the industry.

The strong focus on performance and ‘winning the race’ drives engineers to push technical boundaries. For example, innovative applications of power electronics developed for Formula E have now been incorporated into consumer EV production. This includes innovations in battery management systems, cooling systems, and ultra-fast charging.

Undoubtably, Formula E offers viewers an innovative motorsport experience by showcasing the potential of electric mobility with impressive acceleration and regenerative braking technology. This casts a spotlight on the industry and shows the general public just how exciting EVs can be.

Our Race Ready Mindset

The engineering team at Petalite has deep roots in both the motorsport and automotive industry, so blends these mindsets – each bringing distinct strengths to the way we innovate and deliver. In motorsport, performance and pace are non-negotiable. The race date doesn’t shift, and the deadline is final. That drive and urgency is paired with the discipline of automotive design, where safety, cost-efficiency, and long-term reliability are essential.

There is an interplay between competing forces of performance, time and cost. We’re focused on delivering a strong customer experience while ensuring the lifetime cost of EV infrastructure supports long-term site success and profitability.

Reflecting on the Present Situation

Transport contributes to an alarming 28% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, making it the largest contributor in the UK. The UK is committed to reaching net zero by 2050, meaning that the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions need to balance with the emissions removed from the atmosphere.

The EV industry is racing against the clock to meet the UK’s climate action goals and provide drivers with the necessary infrastructure to make the transition to EVs possible. To encourage drivers to switch to EV's, reliable and accessible infrastructure will need to be scaled up to accommodate the increasing demand – improving wait times and eliminating charging anxiety.

We are Engineering a Net Zero Future...

Our end goal is to provide technology that tackles the current issues of reliability, availability and scalability. This begins with our engineers. They are at the heart of everything, defining the ‘what’ and ‘how’.

Our engineers have moved away from legacy topologies and have focused on building charging systems from the ground up. This cutting-edge technology will overcome the reliability and scalability issues seen in today’s infrastructure.

Our patented sinusoidal direct current (SDC) technology radically simplifies the AC-DC conversion process at the heart of DC rapid chargers. This technology ensures that power from the AC three phase supply from the grid is balanced through a single conversion stage, performing power factor correction, rectification, galvanic isolation and current regulation.

Does this technology answer the industry's problems?

Yes, our technology solution has superior reliability, scalability, modularity and availability.

Engineers are the driving force behind the technology we are developing to overcome barriers and help meet net zero goals. Every week that passes where more drivers are not persuaded to switch to an EV, more CO2 is being released into the environment – the race is on.