British Forces take delivery of versatile EV chargers

A press release from Strategic Command at the Ministry of Defence has drawn our attention to the new solar-powered charging equipment that has been supplied to the British Forces in Cyprus.

Beam Global’s patented Beam EV ARC system is a solar-powered, off-grid charging solution that is rapidly deployed with no construction, no electrical work and no utility connection.

Despite this being Beam’s first order from the UK Ministry of Defence, the company have deployed hundreds of such systems across U.S. locations for the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other U.S. federal agencies.

Each EV ARC system generates and stores its own clean electricity and delivers that electricity to up to six Level 2 EV chargers. The EV ARC fits in a standard parking space, is transportable and includes an Emergency Power Panel that can provide vital electricity for military equipment and personnel.

Aside from charging their EVs, British Forces are also aware of the benefits beyond that, with the equipment having enormous potential to act as mobile generators, power pop-up hospitals, support military exercises and more in remote areas.

The equipment supplied to British Forces Cyprus includes ten transportable electric vehicle charging points and an accompanying trailer to transport them. The equipment is in use across the Sovereign Base Areas camps at Episkopi, Dhekelia, Akrotiri, and Agios Nikolaos.

Each unit can charge two vehicles, enabling a total of 20 vehicles to be charged simultaneously solely from solar energy. 

The £820,000 contract to Beam Global was announced in March and upon delivery Commanding Officer of Transport Unit HQ British Forces Cyprus, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Taylor said: ‘We’re really happy to have recently procured ten Beam solar-powered EV ARC charging systems.

‘These portable charging stations fit within a standard parking space and will harness the abundant sunshine from Cyprus and provide a clean energy source, significantly contributing to our environmental responsibility and enhancing our emergency resilience.

‘They will support electric vehicles on Sovereign Bases Area camps during daytime or nighttime, and will at the same time remind everyone of the importance of innovation to enhance capabilities by utilising our planet’s solar power.’

The UK has committed to ensuring that government owned cars and vans be zero emissions by 2027.