Exclusive: How Voltpost is turning street lights into EV chargers
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Photos: Courtesy of Voltpost
Voltpost, a startup that specializes in turning street lights into electric vehicle charging stations, is launching a sleeker, more flexible charger Wednesday in Brooklyn during Climate Week.
Why it matters: The new charging platform, Voltpost Air, allows cities to repurpose existing infrastructure to quickly expand EV access without disruptive construction or costly grid upgrades.
The big picture: With federal support for EV charging in flux, Voltpost is partnering with cities, utilities and corporations to install charging infrastructure that's relatively easy, affordable and accessible.
- Its first Voltpost Level 2 chargers are deployed in Oak Park, Illinois, and at the American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and the company has projects in the pipeline in several other states.
- "With millions of streetlights in the United States, the opportunity to convert even a fraction into chargers will make a significant positive impact," Jeffrey Prosserman, cofounder and CEO of Voltpost, told Axios.
Driving the news: The first Voltpost Air charger, part of a pilot program, is being activated in Brooklyn at the MADE Bush Terminal.
- Funding came from the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Con Edison.
- It features a compact, modular design that mounts about 10 feet above ground with a retractable cable system to protect against vandalism and weather.
- A Voltpost smartphone app offers drivers real-time information about charger availability, flexible payment options and remote monitoring capabilities.
Zoom in: The Voltpost Air can be mounted on wooden and metal poles, as well as in parking garages and on traffic bollards curbside and in parking lots.
- Installation takes just a couple of hours, and costs a few thousand dollars, according to Prosserman, because there's no need to dig up sidewalks or wait for utility upgrades.
- It's merely a case of pulling a cable bundle through the post's existing conduit, he said. Power to the lamp post is not affected.
- By comparison, some Level 2 chargers cost tens of thousands of dollars to install, he said.
Context: While the U.S. is making good progress installing DC fast chargers along highways, it will need many more basic Level 2 public chargers in urban and suburban areas.
- Level 2 chargers enable overnight charging for drivers who lack access to home chargers, and are useful for topping off a car's battery while shopping, watching a movie or dining.
What they're saying: "Level 2 charging is where we're really lacking," said Gabe Klein, said former executive director of the U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation in the Biden administration, now an advisor to Voltpost.
- "We desperately need more in cities now," he told Axios in an interview.
What's next: The Brooklyn site is the first of many Voltpost Air chargers planned to be deployed across multiple states.
