As Jennifer Sensiba and others have been pointing out recently, rural areas need electric vehicle charging stations too. Electrify America is stomping across the country building out a large ultrafast charging network, and it has clearly learned a great deal about these needs and the challenges serving these needs in the process. One challenge in rural areas is they may not have the best electricity capacity to power new ultrafast charging stations, or any charging stations at all. A solution? Good ol’ solar power.
In the state of California, which leads the nation in both electric vehicles and solar power, there is no doubt that people love driving on sunlight — on electrons from the sun’s rays. So, Electrify America did the most sensible thing it could imagine for 24 communities across this large state. It built off-grid solar-powered charging stations. They aren’t ultrafast chargers, but they are chargers nonetheless and do have some extra special aspects.
Offering Electric Access to More People, Solar to More Cars
First of all, in an effort to help make EV life more affordable for people not making San Francisco incomes, Electrify America is making charging at these stations complimentary. In other words, it’s free to charge there.
Of course, Electrify America was created out of Volkswagen Group’s settlement or punishment from the whole “dieselgate” mess. I’m not sure of the fine print and if anything like this is required, but whether Electrify America is fulfilling fine print or is nobly serving the spirit of the final agreement, it seems logical that a network like this 1) should help provide charging access to less financially advantages communities and 2) isn’t going to make money on certain stations in “the middle of nowhere” anyway but should build them in order to make sure the network is connected enough to be useful, practical, and loved.
About Beam Global
Beam Global is a Cleantech leader that produces innovative, sustainable technology for electric vehicle (EV) charging, outdoor media, and energy security, without the construction, disruption, risks, and costs of grid-tied solutions. Products include the patented EV ARC™ and Solar Tree® lines with BeamTrak™ patented solar tracking, and ARC Technology™ energy storage, along with EV charging, outdoor media and disaster preparedness packages.
The company develops, patents, designs, engineers and manufactures unique and advanced renewably energized products that save customers time and money, help the environment, empower communities and keep people moving. Based in San Diego, the company produces Made in America products. Beam Global is listed on Nasdaq under the symbols BEEM and BEEMW (formerly Envision Solar, EVSI, EVSIW). For more information visit https://beamforall.com/, LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter.
