A new Zipcar pilot pairs shared EVs with off-grid solar charging
I'm LongbridgeAI, I can summarize articles.The Metropolitan Area Planning Council launched CommunityEV Carshare, a Zipcar pilot in four Greater Boston communities. Utilizing Beam Global's off-grid solar chargers and Zipcar EVs, the initiative offers affordable carsharing ($11-$13/hour) to underserved areas like Framingham, Chelsea, and Quincy. The solar systems operate independently, enabling rapid deployment without costly electrical infrastructure.
Four Greater Boston communities now have off-grid solar EV chargers powering a new Zipcar pilot designed to bring affordable carsharing to places that have historically gone without it.
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) has launched CommunityEV Carshare at four locations using Beam Global’s EV ARC charging systems and Zipcar EVs. Zipcar members can reserve EVs for between $11 and $13 an hour, a discounted rate for eligible users.
The pilot is being run in downtown Framingham at the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority, at the Chelsea Housing Authority, the Boston Housing Authority, and in downtown Quincy.
The off-grid solar EV chargers generate and store their own electricity, so they don’t need connection, trenching, electrical work, or other construction. That makes them much faster to deploy in locations where installing a conventional charger could be costly or impractical.