Calif. Public Fleets Purchasing Solar EV Chargers

A number of public agencies in California have recently purchased or taken delivery of solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging systems from Envision Solar, the company announced. The EV ARC, which stands for autonomous renewable charger, provides emission-free EV charging and emergency power.

The City of Long Beach (Calif.) Fleet Services Bureau has purchased two solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) chargers. They will provide flexibility as the fleet transitions to EVs and will also be used for emergency power, said Dan Berlenbach, CPFP, fleet services bureau manager.

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California recently deployed two units and purchased one more. Stu Jossey, a manager of fleet services at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, said the units allow the organization to have a portable Level II charging platform in locations that are not practical to be hard-wired. The lab is in the process of transitioning 30% of its fleet to zero-emission vehicles.

The California Department of Parks and Recreation has taken delivery of EV ARCs for both public and fleet charging at two of its state parks. Both locations are in remote areas where it would be challenging and costly to install traditional, utility grid-connected installations. They also can be moved to optimize utilization. The agency previously deployed five of the solar charging stations for workplace charging at one of its offices and public charging at a state park.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation took delivery of an EV ARC, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratories have also taken delivery of the charging systems in its process of transitioning to zero-emission vehicles.

Invented and manufactured in California, the EV ARC fits inside a parking space without reducing available parking and generates and stores enough solar electricity to power up to 225 miles of EV driving in a day. EnvisionTrak causes the array to follow the sun, generating up to 25% more electricity than a fixed array. The energy is stored in the EV ARC product's energy storage for charging day or night, and to provide emergency power during grid failure. The EV ARC requires no trenching, foundations, or installation work; it is deployed in minutes and can be moved to a new location with ease.

EV ARC products power Level I, Level II, and DC Fast Charging and can work with a customer's existing EV charging service provider, according to the company.

Agencies outside of California that have purchased the product include Mountain Vista High School in Colorado; New York City; and the City of Pittsburgh.

Related: 6 Innovations in Electric Vehicle Charging