US-headquartered flywheel tech developer Qnetic has begun assembly of its first full-scale 200kWh ‘Pulsar’ prototype and has started building a test facility in China.

Qnetic said on July 16 its test technology centre in Shanghai represents a million-dollar-plus investment that will serve as the company’s primary site for validating the performance, safety, and reliability of its next-generation flywheel systems.

Significant excavation and foundation work is taking place, with installation of the Pulsar prototype planned on completion of the facility, followed by technical validation.

The milestones are major steps toward commercial deployment of Qnetic’s technology — which the company claims is designed to provide long-duration energy storage without the degradation, fire risk or dependence on critical minerals associated with conventional lithium ion batteries.

Pulsar is being developed for applications including data centres, renewable energy time-shifting, grid balancing, microgrids, and industrial power resilience.

Qnetic is working with an undisclosed partner specialised in spin-test technologies to deliver a system the firm said will offer grid and commercial operators a durable, lower-lifetime-cost alternative for multi-hour energy storage.

Qnetic’s flywheel systems can complement or replace lithium ion batteries in applications where long asset life, unlimited cycling, sustainability and predictable lifetime economics are critical, the company said.

Pulsar operates at extreme speeds and in vacuum conditions, “pushing conventional motor design to its limits”.

CEO Michael Pratt said: “Building the world’s largest flywheel test cell while bringing our first Pulsar system into validation demonstrates both the maturity of our technology and our confidence in its commercial potential.”

Qnetic announced in March 2026 it had raised $7.1 million over the past year to accelerate commercialisation, including $5 million to launch manufacturing in the US and deploy its first flywheel energy storage systems.