If you live in a big, busy city, you know that parking can be a real challenge.
Spot scarcity is even tougher for electric vehicle drivers, who often need a space with the ability to charge their battery, too.
To better meet this need in urban centers, AT&T and startup Voltpost are teaming up, according to InsideEVs.
Voltpost equips regular old streetlight posts with retractable EV chargers connected to the same electric grid as the light. AT&T then adds internet connectivity to the charger so it can be monitored better, serviced quicker, and used more often, which benefits the companies and drivers alike.
Granted, the power a streetlight can offer is on par with a home charger that needs several hours to reach full capacity, as opposed to a fast charger, the outlet explained. Still, the installation only takes one to two hours to complete, and for a fraction of the normal cost of an EV charging station.
Plus, it can give the supply of chargers a much-needed boost, which is a welcome relief to anyone driving an EV or wanting to get one. The chargers can be added to lampposts in locations where people may already be leaving their cars parked for hours while working, shopping, or recreation.
The result of the two companies' partnership will hit the streets in Detroit, Michigan, as well as across sites in New York and Illinois. Voltpost's goal is to install tens of thousands of curbside EV chargers by 2030, InsideEVs reports.
Such an ambitious plan is a reassurance to would-be EV drivers who are hung up on the lack of charging infrastructure in the U.S. It's also a win for the planet, since better access means more people can switch to a car that's free from tailpipe pollution.
"Expanding access to EV charging is key to democratizing electric mobility and advancing the transition to renewable energy," said Jeffrey Prosserman, CEO and co-founder of Voltpost, per InsideEVs.
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"Nice to see these coming online!" an InsideEVs commenter wrote.
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