voltpost converts existing street lamps into electric vehicle chargers for roads

Voltpost’s electric vehicle charger using street lamps

Voltpost can transform existing street lamps into electric vehicle chargers for roads and highways. The street lights still function as lamps, but with the addition of charging capabilities tailored for electric cars. Voltpost’s electric vehicle charger design envisions installing electrical outlets around or within the street lights and enclosing them all with a steel-like casing. The electricity startup says that their electric vehicle chargers can be fitted in the existing street lamps in under an hour.

images courtesy of Voltpost

Lights on roads with charging capabilities

For Voltpost’s plug, the design team imagines a neon green cord that pulses to help drivers see where the electric vehicle charger is and keep them safe at night on isolated roads. There’s also a dedicated app so that drivers can easily monitor where the nearest charging station and street lamps are. On the app, drivers are also informed whether or not the nearest Voltpost to them is occupied, allowing them to check the next available ones nearby.

two and four charging plugs with wifi connection

Voltpost’s electric vehicle charger can accommodate between two and four charging plugs, enabling four cars to be charged at once. Its design can also be modular, meaning that the street lamps can also be equipped with a WiFi connection and other multimodal services. In this case, drivers who may need to browse the Internet can do so while they wait for their vehicles to be fully charged. The design team says that Voltpost owners can set their own pricing for each use of the electric vehicle charger. They may also need to follow rules regarding the pricing so as not to run into legal issues concerning price regulations.

As of publishing the story, Voltpost has already planted their electric vehicle chargers for testing and has yet to transform existing street lights and fit them with charging capabilities. The design team’s first test took place in New York City between June 2022 and March 2023. They joined DOT Studio in collaboration with the New York City Department of Transportation and venture platform Newlab, and successfully installed, tested, and refined the charging platform with metering in a DOT parking lot.

The second installation of Voltpost’s electric vehicle charger was successfully deployed in the Detroit Smart Parking Lab in April 2023. Here, the design team tested the system, gathered data for further studies, and engaged partners for Voltpost installation in Michigan. After these two testing units, Voltpost has not yet updated the progress of their street lights turned electric vehicle chargers.