Beam Global is trying to solve one of the biggest problems e-bike owners face.
As Electrek details, the company recently unveiled the BeamBike as a flexible solution for riders looking for an outdoor location to park, lock, and charge their e-bikes. The off-grid canopy features a battery powered by solar power that can charge up to 12 e-bikes, even when the sun is down.
Riders will need to bring their own wall chargers to use the outlets, but the portability, self-sufficiency, and outdoor location of the BeamBike are some of its key selling points.
Desmond Wheatley, Beam Global's CEO, said it is an "outdoor e-bike charging solution that can be deployed quickly, relocated when needed, and operated independently of the grid."
"A BeamBike charging system can go just about anywhere an e-bike can go," he added.
The innovative, off-grid charging platform addresses a growing issue for riders. The reason that the outdoor part of it is so key, is that indoor bans in places like university campuses are becoming "increasingly common," per Electrek. That trend has also found its way to HOAs.
The reasons behind the bans are often related to fears of the batteries starting fires, as well as more benign concerns about storage space. Wheatley identified "rare but high-profile tragedies of indoor fires" as part of the inspiration for the product.
As far as where Beam Global hopes you'll see the charging stations, the company's info sheet specifically identifies transit centers, parks, shopping malls, stadiums, and campuses as some of the target locations.
E-bikes are emerging as a top alternative to gas-powered vehicles that rely on dirty energy that contributes to the warming of the planet. They allow riders to lower congestion on the road while cutting down on their own contributions to air and noise pollution.
The trend of banning indoor storage due to the rare occurrences of fires is alarming, and could certainly dampen the convenience of owning an e-bike. Companies are looking to address the issue head-on and innovate with fire-proof batteries.
Until that becomes more widespread, though, flexible outdoor solutions are important for riders. Some riders have already gotten very creative with their own homemade stations.
It bears noting that commenters in Electrek brought up valid concerns around BeamBike regarding the lack of standardization in e-bikes' charging infrastructure. One commenter pushed for an industry standard charging port "so that people are not stuck carrying around a charging brick."
Another agreed with them and noted that until a standard built-in charger exists, people will be fearful about their chargers getting stolen. To their point, vandalism and theft at e-bike and EV charging stations is unfortunately a growing trend.
Still, there's a lot to like about the potential for Beam Global to provide a useful solution for e-bike owners who are seeing dwindling indoor options to park and charge.
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