- New York-based Voltpost has unveiled a new lamppost EV charger that can be installed in hours.
- Dubbed the Voltpost Air, the new Level 2 charger is much smaller than the company’s previous model.
- It can be installed on almost any type of lamppost at a fraction of the cost of a traditional public Level 2 EV charger, which could supercharge the charging infrastructure in urban areas.
The little lamppost-installed box you see in the photos below might be the key to unlocking a more stress-free EV ownership experience in dense cities where parking and overnight charging is an issue.
It’s called the Voltpost Air, and it’s the brainchild of a New York-based startup that was founded just four years ago with a big idea: turn boring street lights into electric car chargers. They’re pretty much everywhere, so why not take advantage of their ubiquity to make life easier for EV owners everywhere?
Photo by: Voltpost
The Air is Voltpost’s second model, and compared to its first generation of lamppost-mounted chargers, it’s a lot smaller. According to the company, up to two chargers can be installed on a single post, providing up to 9.6 kilowatts of power to each connected EV. A smartphone app can be used to find chargers and pay for charging sessions.
Compared to the first version of Voltpost’s Level 2 charger, which is installed at the base of a street light, the Air is mounted at roughly 10 feet (3 meters) above the ground to protect against vandalism and weather. A retractable charging cable ensures no wires are dangling over the sidewalk, reducing the risk of pedestrians tripping.
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Source: Voltpost
According to Jeffrey Prosserman, cofounder and CEO of Voltpost, installation takes just a couple of hours and costs a few thousand dollars because there’s no need to need to dig up sidewalks or wait for utility upgrades. Prosserman told Axios that it’s merely a case of pulling a cable bundle through the post’s existing conduit.
“With millions of streetlights in the United States, the opportunity to convert even a fraction into chargers will make a significant positive impact,” the startup’s CEO added. “Born in America and built coast to coast, Voltpost is empowering communities with accessible, affordable charging.”
The first Votpost Air charger was installed in Brooklyn at the MADE Bush Terminal with funding from the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Con Edison. The charger will be available to the public by the end of the year, the company said. Voltpost’s first-generation lamppost chargers can be found in Oak Park, Illinois, and at the American Center for Mobility near Detroit, Michigan.
