FuZE-Q is Zap Energy's highest-power sheared-flow-stabilized Z-pinch device, operating since 2022 alongside the newer three-electrode FuZE-3, which reached record ~1.6 GPa plasma pressures in 2025. These machines are stepping stones toward scientific gain (Q>1).
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Current state
| Status | Operating |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Everett, Washington |
| Developer | Zap Energy |
| Developer type | Private |
| Concept | Z-pinch |
| Fuel | D-T |
| Purpose | Research |
| First plasma | 2022 |
| Private funding raised | USD 324m (as of 2024-10-15) |
| Public funding | DOE Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program awardee; ARPA-E support |
Notes
private funding raised (~$324M) is the sum of disclosed equity rounds A-D listed on Wikipedia (excludes grants); no company-stated cumulative figure found. Fuel listed as D-T per long-term plant design; experiments use deuterium. In April 2026 Zap said it will also develop small fission reactors.
Timeline
- 2022-06 — Zap announced first plasmas in FuZE-Q alongside a $160 million Series C. (source)
- 2024-04 — Zap reported 1-3 keV electron temperatures in its FuZE device. (source)
- 2025-11 — Zap reported FuZE-3 plasmas with electron pressures of 830 MPa (~1.6 GPa total) and said FuZE-Q remains in regular operation. (source)
The timeline is append-only: corrections are added as new entries. Stated targets appear in the current-state table, never as milestones.
Related projects
- ARC (Commonwealth Fusion Systems) Design · United States
- Athena (Xcimer Energy) Concept · United States
- Century (Zap Energy) Operating · United States
- Copernicus (TAE Technologies) Under construction · United States
- Da Vinci / first utility-scale plant (TAE Technologies) Concept · United States
- Demonstration System (Pacific Fusion) Under construction · United States
- Eos (Thea Energy) Design · United States
- FLARE fusion neutron source (SHINE Technologies) Operating · United States
See all 51 projects in the Fusion Energy Companies & Projects Tracker →
Sources
- First plasmas in FuZE-Q; Series C — Zap Energy (primary), checked 2026-10-11
- Zap Energy achieves 37-million-degree temperatures in a compact device — Zap Energy (primary), checked 2026-10-11
- Zap Energy exceeds gigapascal fusion plasma pressures on new fusion device FuZE-3 — Zap Energy (primary), checked 2026-10-11
- Zap Energy — Wikipedia, checked 2026-10-11