When Jeep said it was going to make a plug-in hybrid version of the Wrangler, it told that world that it would be installing EV charging stations at key trails to help Jeep owners off-road without fuel.
Getting electricity to some trails, even if they have a parking lot, can sometimes be a challenge. With Jeep now talking about its road ahead, including a BEV Wrangler concept, they finally showed us how they’re doing it.
If the animation Jeep shared is correct, Jeep is working with Beam to put branded EV ARC 2020 units at Badge of Honor trails across the U.S.
If these units look familiar, it’s the same product that Electrify America is using for its rural charging solution in California.
These products are really slick. They have a motor on the top that tilts the solar panel throughout the day, using some stored energy to move it, so that the panel always has the best access to direct sunlight.
It stores the energy in batteries built in, and it’s all attached to a level 2 J1772 charging station.
It’s a simple unit to deploy. Everything, including the parking mat, is a single piece that can be deployed in minutes after unloading it from a flatbed semi.
The units are fully self-sufficient, requiring no access to the power grid. They’re a cool solution for providing power for charging where there is no power available.
We wonder if Rivian’s outdoor charging solution is going to use the same thing? It might.
Updated (9:18am EST, March 7, 2022): Added YouTube video with up-close-and-personal look with the Beam Jeep-branded EV charging solar stations.
Updated (3:20pm EDT, March 30, 2021): Here’s official photos of real charging stations, made possible with a partnership from Electrify America.
