Living in a house and driving an electric car can make your mornings easier. Imagine waking up and finding your car fully charged and ready to go.
For those without a garage or driveway, owning an electric vehicle in a big city can be challenging. Many people have to rely on public chargers or find makeshift solutions like running cables from their homes to the street, which can be dangerous. Some cities have allowed residents to install protectors for these cables, but it’s only a temporary fix.
Lampposts could be a better option. They’re everywhere, and they already have the wiring needed for charging. One company, Voltpost, has developed a product to turn existing lampposts into charging stations. Their device attaches to the bottom of the lamppost and can charge two to four cars at a time. It’s not super-fast charging, but it’s enough for most people to charge overnight.
Voltpost’s charger is easy to install and comes with software that allows charging station managers to control pricing and monitor the devices remotely.
Like most charging networks, Voltpost has an app for drivers to manage charging sessions and payments. They can even reserve chargers, which could lead to some disagreements between neighbors.
Voltpost says their chargers can be installed quickly, with testing in New York City showing it takes about an hour. They’re currently working on projects in New York, Chicago, and Detroit, and they recently raised $3.6 million in funding.
