Zendure's Passport GO with GaN Technology Raised Over $100k in its First Week on Kickstarter
Travel should be exciting. And it shouldn’t involve compromise. To get all your devices charged, you need at least three products: a USB charger for multiple devices, a travel adapter for power outlets, and a power adapter for your laptop. To simplify charging issues for global travellers, Zendure, based in Palo Alto, has announced Passport GO, a new all-in-one travel adapter that uses GaN (Gallium Nitride) technology to deliver up to 30W of power via USB-C PD (Power Delivery).GaN is a semiconductor material that is making major waves in the electronics industry. GaN is capable of delivering more power in less space at a higher level of efficiency than silicon when used in power converters.
Based on the Award-Winning Original
The original Zendure Passport, released in 2017, featured a compact, all-in-one design, self-resetting fuse, and four USB ports. Passport received a 2017 Good Design Award from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design. Passport's initial crowdfunding campaigns raised $330,000 USD from over 8,000 backers. Passport GO with GaN is a significant upgrade from the original.
GaN Technology, 30W USB-C PD
Passport GO features a USB-C PD (Power Delivery) port in addition to three USB-A ports. The PD specification is capable of delivering a lot of power. Zendure decided to use GaN components in order to boost the output power to 30W without having to make the product larger. Passport GO is the first all-in-one travel adapter to feature GaN technology.
Auto-Resetting Fuse
Like the original Passport, Passport GO has a built-in fuse that automatically resets itself if too much current is drawn. Traditional travel adapters have a single-use fuse that must be replaced with a new one in that situation. The product development team found this to be an unacceptable inconvenience when traveling, and were the first to bring the auto-resetting fuse into the travel adapter industry.
Crowdfunding Raised Over $100k in the First Week
Zendure started their crowdfunding campaign for Passport GO on Kickstarter on May 29, 2019. MSRP is $59 USD, and the earliest backers will have a chance to order Passport GO for $29 USD. The campaign has been very successful which has raised over $125,000 USD so far in its first week on Kickstarter, with nearly 3,000 backers.
Specifications
USB-C PD Max Output | 5V/3A, 9V/3A, 12V/2.5A15V/2A, 20V/1.5A, 30W |
USB-A Max Output | 5V/2.4A, 12W |
Total Max Output | 30W |
AC Max Oputput | 6A (600W/100V or 1500W/250V) |
AC Input | 100-250V, 50/60Hz |
Compatibility
Passport GO with GaN works in the following countries: Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua, Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azores, Bahamas, Bahrain, Balearic Islands, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bosnia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Channel Islands, Chile, China, China (without holes in blades and slightly shorter blades), Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dem. Rep. of Congo (Zaire), Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Faeroe Islands, Finland, France, French Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Madeira, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Okinawa, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tahiti, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (U.S. & British), Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
Source: kickstarter