Charging company Voltpost is preparing to roll out its lamppost EV chargers in major U.S. metro areas like New York, Chicago, and Detroit.
The company on Thursday announced that it had "imminent plans" to deploy its chargers in these areas this spring. The Level 2 chargers are added to existing lampposts, with charging sessions and payment managed through a mobile app.
Each installation has 20 feet of retractable cable and can accommodate two to four charge ports. The ports are designed to route the cable at a 90-degree angle to the car's charging socket, keeping it out of the way of traffic and pedestrians.
Voltpost claims it can install a charger in just one to two hours at a fraction of the cost of other curbside charging stations. These lamppost chargers also avoid the need to dig trenches for electrical cables and get construction permits, the company notes.
Voltpost streetside EV charger with app and charge connector
The chargers will employ the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCCP), and no matter which automaker app or charging app you use, it's quite possible you'll see them included soon. "Voltpost is pursuing an open charging distribution strategy to maximize interoperability and offer a frictionless customer experience," said its CEO Jeff Prosserman, to Green Car Reports. "This includes integration with partner apps including, but not limited to, Google Maps, Apple Maps, Android Auto and CarPlay."
Streetlight-based charging has already been proposed as a solution for EV drivers who live in apartments or don't have dedicated parking. And there's some indication Voltpost and other proponents may be onto something. New York City began installing some streetside chargers in 2021, and they are now seeing a 72% utilization rate, according to Charged EVs.
Voltpost curbside EV charger
Voltpost isn't the only company with an innovative design for streetside chargers. Others include a design that tucks away inside the sidewalk during the day, and just adding sockets to street light poles, and letting drivers figure out the cable.
Shell and Ubitricity did a massive rollout of on-street chargers in the U.K., but no such effort has been made in U.S. big cities as of yet. Some cities have resorted to installing Level 2 streetside EV charging by request. But piecemeal in this way, it's expensive.
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with additional reporting by Bengt Halvorson
